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Key Bible Verse: Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind (Ecclesiastes 4:6). Bonus Reading: Ecclesiastes 2:11-3:15

A hard-driving corporate attorney saw a fisherman he knew from church one afternoon, legs dangling off the pier as he helped his two young sons catch crabs. "Why aren't you out there fishing?" he asked.

"Because I've caught enough fish for today."

"Why don't you catch more fish than you need?"

"What would I do with them?" asked the fisherman.

"You could earn more money and buy a better boat so you could go deeper and catch more fish. Then you could buy a fleet of boats. Soon you'd be rich like me."

"What would I do then?"

"You could sit down and enjoy life."

"What do you think I'm doing now?"

This isn't an argument for indolence but for balanced living. The wise person realizes that his career isn't the measure of his worth, that having more money can't replace the joy of spending time with people he loves.

Contentment means that you have everything you need right now. If you needed more, God would give it to you. When you want what you already have, you've discovered the rare jewel of contentment.

—Ray Pritchard in Something New Under the Sun

• What are you content about? Not content about?

Thought to Apply: Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.

—EPICTETUS (Greek potter and painter, 6th century B.C.)

Credits: Adapted from —Monday: Something New Under the Sun (Moody Bible Institute, 1998)

Copyright © 2000 by the author or Christianity Today International/Men of Integrity. For reprint information click here.

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Prayer for the Week

Jesus, fill me with the abundant life promised in Your Word. Give me Your wisdom to live well.

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