The Ultimate ATV of Contentment

“Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Philippians 4:11).

Certain vehicles are made for specific situations. A formula one racer rips through the streets of Monaco. Tanks are beasts on the battlefield. The minivan is king of the carpool lane. But there are some vehicles like SUVs and ATVs that are at home no matter where they are. They’re designed to tackle any terrain. 

Human beings are similar. Some folks do very well in specific situations. You may know folks who love living in the lap of luxury (and who wouldn’t?!?). There are others who are right at home with only the most basic of necessities. But there are those special people that thrive no matter what’s in their checking account or 401k.  No matter if they’re living in the ‘burbs or the projects. Whether they’re dining at fine restaurant or hitting the drive-thru. 

Our man Paul is one of those who can not only handle any circumstance life throws his way. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (v11). You might think that’s easy for some super spiritual preacher man to say. Hey dude, take a spin in my life for a day and see how you like it! Before we throw the apostle under the bus, let’s pump our brakes and take a peak in the rearview mirror for a look at just exactly the life he lived for the Lord. Paul writes this little ditty from prison in Rome. His passion for telling people the awesome news of Jesus got him thrown behind bars about five years before we pick up the action here in this letter. 

He’s not exactly writing to his friends back in Philippi while enjoying a relaxing weekend at the Cove. He’s in the slammer. But because of Jesus, he’s got a supernatural joy in the joint. His relationship with the resurrected Messiah from Nazareth has given him the strength to handle whatever our jacked up world throws his way. Whatever the conditions, whatever the situation, whatever the environment, finds his total satisfaction in Christ. Paul is the ultimate ATV of contentment. He’s satisfied wherever he rolls.

Interestingly, the man from Tarsus is in the middle of writing a thank you note to the Philippian church. They’ve never stopped putting the apostle at the top of their prayer list and waiting to pounce on the opportunity to do something practical for their founding pastor (Phil 1:19; 4:10). They’ve been his teammates in spreading the Good News since the day he met them (Phil 1:5). They’ve been swimming in the deep end of God’s grace pool with him despite being locked up in Caesar’s Supermax (Phil 1:6). A while back, the folks in Philippi sent some cat named Epaphroditus with a care package for their friend in the big house (Phil 2:25). The dude got sick and nearly died (Phil 2:26-30)! Yeah, I think a quick note of thanks is probably in order.

While Paul is incredibly grateful for the practical outpouring of love and support, he wants his readers to know Jesus gives him everything thing he really needs to handle any situation. “Not that I am speaking of being in need” (v11). When the translators of the ESV give us the phrase “being in need,” the original Greek has just one word:  husterisis. It means poverty or lacking in basic essentials. The term literally describes falling short of the leader in a race, being left way behind, or late to the finish line. 

This word only appears one other time in the entire New Testament. Back when Jesus pointed out to His posse a particular woman at the temple who had come to worship. All the rich and famous walked the red carpet for the photo opp of dropping off their offering. Kinda like how you see those goofy ceremonies where someone gets handed the giant check for winning a golf tournament or donating to a telethon. Do they actually sign the back of that massive piece cardboard and cash it at the bank? If so, how do they get it through the drive-thru window? But I digress. In the background of all that look-at-me craziness of the temple offering, Jesus wants His disciples to see a nondescript widow giving God a handful of change. “For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty (Gr. husterisis) has put in everything she had, all she had to live on” (Mk 12:44). She may have fallen behind in the rat race of society, but this woman’s sacrifice has blown away anything brought by the filthy rich (Mk 12:43).   

The apostle wants his readers to know he might be in the pen but he’s not in poverty. “For I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (v11). When he says he’s “learned,” Paul drops a word here (Gr. manthano) that means to be taught through practice, discover by experience, or apply what you’ve come to understand. So just what has God brought him through to give him the ability to navigate any terrain like human humvee of contentment? Over in one of his letters to the Corinthian church, he goes into some detail of all potholes he’s faced as he’s told the world about Jesus (2Cor 11:23-29). Prison. Beatings. Near death experiences. Scourged with a cat-o-nine tails five times…if you’re counting (and I WOULD be counting!). Whacked by rods three times. Stoned (with rocks not weed). Shipwrecked not once, not twice, but THREE times. Lost at sea. Constantly in danger. Often without sleep, food, or water. Cold. Homeless. Paul learned to be content in Christ in the school of hard knocks. Because of all that Jesus has done for him, he’s an SUV of satisfaction. He just keeps rolling no matter the road conditions. As a matter of fact, he keeps rolling even when there is NO road!

The author goes out of his way to tell the Philippian church that he’s “content” (v11). When he does, he uses a Greek term (Gr. autarkes) which only shows up once in the Bible. He’s talking about a happy state of mind with what you have. Being satisfied in your circumstances. Having enough. It literally means being self-sufficient. Ancient writers outside the Bible used this word to describe a nation that supplied itself and was independent of importing goods and services. It’s not that Paul didn’t want help. He had a deep appreciation for everything his friends had sacrificed to show them their love and concern. He wants them to know that because of who Jesus is, what He’s done, and what He’s going to do, he’s good to go. 

Life may be a highway, but road conditions are too often smooth and straight. Work zones. Ruts. Rain. Snow. Ice. Debris. If that’s not bad enough, we get t-boned by stuff like death, divorce, diagnosis, and downsizing. There’s only one thing that can handle that kind of terrain. Or I should say one PERSON. That’s the Son of God. Faith in Him allows us to travel the rocky road ahead. He doesn’t magically transport me to some super spiritual superhighway. The way is still impossible and impassible. I can’t do it alone. But with Him I can. As Paul tells his boy Tim, “Godliness with contentment (Gr. autarkeia) is great gain” (1Tim 6:6). The road conditions may be awful but we actually make GREAT time because of our relationship with God.

Here in Philippians 4:11, the apostle gives us the 411 of satisfaction in Jesus. Paul is the ultimate ATV of contentment. He’s satisfied wherever he rolls.