Swiss Army Knife

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.

– 1 Timothy 6:6-8

If it takes the right tool to do the job, chances are that the Victorinox Swiss Army knife is it. 

First produced in 1891 for — as its name suggests — the Swiss army — this folding, all-in-one pocketknife is easily recognized by its red handle and cross logo. The iconic cutlery is produced in dozens of models with ingenious implements including corkscrews, tweezers, bottle-openers, can openers, and even nail files. Its newer models feature everything from USB computer storage drives to laser pointers. And there’s even a 9-inch-wide version with 85 tools for the outdoorsman who has everything.

Speaking of having everything, God has blessed us with a nation of plenty. And although millions of Americans seemingly have it all, we live amidst an epidemic of discontent. The more possessions we gather and the higher we climb the corporate ladder, the more unfulfilled and disillusioned we become. And rather than thanking God for his blessings and making the most of them, we wonder if they’re all there is to life.

This contagious disease comes with some nasty symptoms. Those afflicted often turn to alcohol, street drugs, illicit relationships, and gambling to ease the pain. They find that things might get better for a while. But their hunger for fulfillment returns eventually.

This problem is hardly new, and it's not confined to the United States or even Western society. In fact, the Bible addressed the issues of naught and disappointment centuries ago. And its advice is as valid today as it was back then.

First, let’s consider the many ways God blesses us. They could include family, career, health, and friends — just to name a few. Next, we need to stop comparing our possessions with our neighbor’s stuff. Marketers thrive when they convince us that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence.

The only remedy is found in the One known as The Great Physician: Jesus. And a growing relationship with him produces contentment because there's nothing bigger, better, or more necessary in life. Comparisons fall away and material things lose their luster. With Christ as our Master, what was once so important soon fades into obscurity. 

Does this sound simplistic or too good to be true? The cutting-edge truth is that contentment is just inches away — the distance between our head and our heart.

“I know how to live when I am poor, and I know how to live when I have plenty,” the apostle Paul tells us through Philippians 4:12. “I have learned the secret of being happy at any time in everything that happens, when I have enough to eat and when I go hungry, when I have more than I need and when I do not have enough.”