“But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).
Pastor Kenward was once again confronting Ken about, well, I don’t know how else to put it, other than to simply say the pastor was speaking to Ken about his laziness. Ken decided to quit working when he was in his mid-forties. Do you think Ken became ill and couldn’t work? The answer is no. Do you think that Ken lost his job and was heartbroken? The answer is no. Are you ready for the answer Ken gave? He quit working and depended on others to provide for him because, as he said, “The Lord is teaching me that contentment is gain.” Pastor Kenward, the deacons and many members of the local church wouldn’t have helped him at all except that he had a large family. “Ken, let me put it to you straight from my heart,” Pastor Kenward said. “You have misquoted this verse and misapplied it. The Scripture says that “godliness with contentment is gain.” Your laziness is not godly. Your lack of effort in providing for your family is not godly. The Bible strongly teaches that if a man is unwilling to work, he shouldn’t eat according to 2 Thessalonians 3:10. The very next verse teaches that if you are unwilling to work, you’re living disorderly.” It wasn’t a pleasant conversation that day, but it was necessary.
For today: Don’t let anyone with whom you speak confuse laziness with contentment!