Sunday, August 6, 2000

Contentment is not satisfaction. It is the grateful, faithful, fruitful use of what we have, little or much. It is to take the cup of Providence, and call upon the name of the Lord. What the cup contains is its contents. To get all that is in the cup is the act and art of contentment. Not to drink because one has but half a cup, or because one does not like its flavor, or because somebody else has silver to one’s own glass, is to lose the contents; and that is the penalty, if not the meaning, of discontent. No one is discontented who employs and enjoys to the utmost what he has. It is high philosophy to say, we can have just what we like if we like what we have; but this much at least can be done, and this is contentment,—to have the most and best in life by making the most and best of what we have.

... Maltbie D. Babcock (1858-1901), Thoughts for Every-day Living, New York: C. Scribner’s sons, 1901, p. 54 (see the book; see also Phil. 4:10-13; Gen. 28:20-22; Matt. 6:31-34; Luke 3:14; Phil. 3:8-9; 1 Tim. 6:6-9; Heb. 10:34; 13:5-6; more at Contentment, Cup, Discontent, Philosophy, Providence, Satisfaction)

 
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        Curator, Christian Quotation of the Day,
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Last updated: 06/19/17

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