Bullets for the Battle

The Bullet of Contentment: What it Means

Contentment. Now that’s an interesting word. But what does it mean to be content? Webster offers his suggestion. To be content is to be happy enough with what one has or is, not desiring something more or different. Have you heard the following story?

There was once a wise, old Quaker who advertised that he would give forty acres of rich farm land to anyone who was perfectly satisfied with what he had. Shortly a seeker came to see the Quaker. “Are thee perfectly satisfied with what thee hast?” The hopeful guest quickly replied, “Oh, yes, I’m perfectly content!” “Then why,” questioned the Quaker, “dost thee want this land?”

Contentment and satisfaction go hand-in-hand. Thomas A. Kempis once said, “Chose rather to want less, than to have more.” But it seems as if our culture and lifestyle demands that we get more and more. When are we satisfied? I’ve heard that there’s a cemetery marker in England with this inscription. “She died for want of things.” Next to the marker was another which read, “He died trying to give them to her.”