Sufficiency

I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation... I can do all this through him who gives me strength. – Philippians 4:11-13

From the movie of the same name, Melvin Udall, played brilliantly by Jack Nicholson, walks out of his therapy session visibly frustrated. He’s clearly agitated and doesn’t feel like the session helped him. The office is filled with other patients waiting for their turn. In his usual abrasive and socially awkward way and in a moment of cynical honesty, says:

"What if this is as good as it gets?"

In these frustrating times, we too might feel this raw expression of despair. No matter the effort, we fear that things might not improve. It’s an easy and frequent trap to fall into.

I’ve had the privilege of escorting adolescents and young adults into impoverished places to help them see the face of Jesus in the eyes of the poor. Whether that’s soup kitchens in New York City, rural Oklahoma trailer parks after a tornado, or Central American slums in the aftermath of a hurricane, it’s always been my experience that if you want to expose young people to the person of Jesus, take them to the poor and marginalized.

There is a fair amount of despair and heartache in those voices and behind those eyes. You can see and feel that despondency in the feeding ministries of Cathedral of Hope. But there is also a great deal of gratitude and gladness. From the family that invited teenagers into their United Nations temporary shelter in Honduras to serve them dinner and sing together to the Appalachian trio of brothers who told hysterical (and sometimes inappropriate!) stories to middle schoolers late into the evening, you find contentment and joy in the hearts of Christians who are in need.

They do this because they resonate with the words of Paul in his letter to the church in Philippi: I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

It’s easy to feel despondent and fearful right now. And for good reason. It’s heartbreaking to watch as those with so much now grab for so much more. It’s damning to see entire cultures of people being persecuted and harmed. It’s alarming to know that systems that once protected the vulnerable are being disassembled. Melvin Udall may have felt justified in his belief that nothing was going to change and in his sense of hopelessness.

But Paul reminds us that whether we are in need or have plenty, whether circumstances are dire or favorable, we have the strength of Christ to carry us through and the promise of grace to carry on to another day.

Let us pray,

Gracious God,

we thank you for the beauty of creation,

for the gift of life, and the love that surrounds us.

In joy and in sorrow,

in success and in failure

,help us to see your hand at work

and to give thanks always.

Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.