Recently in our church small group we were studying Galatians (in the NT). The book is part of Paul’s letters to the newly formed church in Galatia. Paul wrote letters to encourage, admonish and connect to the churches that he formed along his journeys. Part of the Galatian letter talks about feeling the sense of freedom through Christ. Freedom which comes from being heirs to the kingdom. Which begs the application question to today- do we? Because we have a relationship with the God of creation, do we feel that we belong? That we are heirs? If we do, how is that expressed?

It makes me think of an episode from an old British series, Monarch of the Glen. Archie, the reluctant second-son, now heir of the manor, due to the death of his older brother, returns home to help keep the estate from collapsing under debt and financial responsibilities. Most episodes in the seven seasons consist of another overly dramatic scheme to thwart another financial disaster of losing the estate. Add eccentric but lovable characters set in the most spectacular area in Scotland and it is a recipe for mind-numbing, good ole fashioned entertainment.

In this one particular episode, Archie returns home and his parents spring on him that the next morning, he is to run in a local hill race in which the laird always competes. In addition, he is to wear the most ridiculous hat- an overstuffed tam o’shanter plaid. He just plops it on his head and away he runs. What I like about the character and the actor’s portrayal is that there is such confidence and self-awareness of who he is, where he belongs, what is his purpose and who is his family. There is no self-conscious awkwardness in his manner and certainly not in this running exchange.

If I truly believed I was free in Christ, would I also truly believe that I am an heir? Would I have such confidence and self-awareness that I would know who I am, where I belong, what is my purpose and who is my family? Would I then be content?

I wrote the other week about the concept of “enough”and generosity. I also think being content is knowing that we have enough. Or that we are satisfied with enough.

Recently, I discovered an article about contentment versus happiness. The author is a researcher and had been looking at numerous world cultures and their various emotional states. He discovered one of the last remaining, un-contacted cultures in Nepal, and asked them the same questions that he asked other people groups. In general, the Nepalese group had similar emotional reactions to the survey questions as other groups, but one thing stymied them- contentment. For their definition was slightly different from others. For them, contentment is not happiness, but rather the “knowledge of enough”: “It basically means that right here, right now, everything is perfect as it is, regardless of what you are experiencing outside.”*

What about you? Are you content? Are you confident? What gives you confidence? Power? Position? Your knowledge of God? Do you have an knowledge of enough?

Contentment is being confident. Not in a cocky kind of way, but rather a “I don’t have to prove anything” kind of way. If, because I am already an heir with the Creator of the world, then there is nothing to prove. I can be settled in what is happening around me, right here, right now. I can be present. I can run the race of life and not be concerned even if I have a stupid hat on my head.

* https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/what_if_you_pursued_contentment_rather_than_happiness