Unflappable

“Now godliness with contentment is great gain . . . but those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare. . . .” (1 Timothy 6:6-8, NKJV)

One of my disciplines this year is to be frugal. In a world with such extremes of income levels, I’m realizing that term is not easy to pin down. When I shop for groceries, does frugal mean buying only what is on my list and none of those items on special that I might need next week? Does it mean picking one magazine instead of two? Or going without a new blouse? Or is this disciple more about what I give up so I can give to others? Do I give the money I save (by not buying what I don’t need) to someone who does need it?

My study Bible says that the Greek word for contentment means “self-sufficiency” and was used by Stoic philosophers to describe a person who was unflappable, unmoved by external circumstances. Unflappable. In our ladies Bible class throughout the past several weeks, I’ve stressed that God’s goal for us is to make us unflappable. While ‘stoic’ implies no emotions at all, I’m more concerned that I trust God no matter what happens. If I do, I should be less anxious, stressed or apt to take matters into my own hands. I will not worry that God has forgotten me and have that inner peace that knows He is in control, even when the world around me is chaotic.

From that it is easy to see that frugality begins with contentment, with trusting God. Does stress makes me want to go out and buy something? If so, instead of gritting my teeth and saying no to spending, I’m to deal with the stress. Have I forgotten who runs the universe?

The desire to be rich can motivate needless spending too. For some, wanting to have money equals wanting to have stuff. Credit cards make it too easy to be blind to a person’s income limits. Maybe the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, as verse 10 says, but I’m thinking failure to trust God, rich or poor, is at the root of discontentment and overspending. I already know that buying something new might make me feel happier for a little while, but that “new-purchase” delight never lasts, and more stuff just winds up taking up more space and adding another housekeeping responsibility! My life is already too crowded.

The next time I take out my wallet, I’m going to ask myself if I’m trusting God concerning this purchase. Would I be content with or without it? Is this just to make me feel good because it indicates I “have” instead of I “have not” — and what is wrong with not having it? Frugal living should free up a lot more than my closet and storage space.