This week I’ve been talking about how spiritually RICH we are because of our identity in Jesus and all the eternal and spiritual blessings he gives us. It’s good to ruminate on this perspective-shifting fact because our society spins and weaves a different story: that material things are more important than spiritual things.

I heard a disturbing story out of Texas where a mother tried to hire a hit-man to take out another mom. The reason is because both of their daughters were cheerleaders; one mother thought the other was scheming to undermine, cheat and deprive her own daughter of various cheerleading opportunities she thought were rightly hers. Fortunately, she was caught before the plot could be carried out.*

James 3:16 says, “For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.” That certainly seems to apply to this sad story. In fact, it’s so crazy, that it’s easy to dismiss. However, envy can threaten each one of us as it tries to tighten its hungry, sinister claws around our hearts.

In contrast, consider Mohan. When he became a Christian, people in his village destroyed his home. He lost his farm and source of livelihood. Friends? Gone. Reputation? Gone. As Open Doors Magazine describes it: “But not all is lost, because Mohan still has Jesus.”* It reminds me of the saying by Corrie ten Boom: “You may never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.”

Friends, envy and selfish ambition lead to disorder and evil. So rest secure in the peace Jesus offers. Practice contentment—whether you’re going through good times or bad. “You may never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you have.”

By Matthew Ruttan

–You can now WATCH THE SERMON HERE that this devotional is based on here. It’s called “Spiritual Billionaires” and is Part 1 in the Contentment series. Enjoy! {The audio-only is found here.}
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.
–*The story of the Texas Cheerleader Case is told in ‘Envy: Exposing a Secret Sin,’ by Mary Louise Bringle, p. 1. Mohan’s story is told in Open Doors magazine, Sept/Oct 2019.

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