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"Better is a little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble with it."
(Proverbs 15:16)
My sweet husband's family grew up without a lot of extra money. With six children, mom staying home to raise them, and dad working hard at a blue collar job, there wasn't much extra to go around. Hand-me-down clothes and a simple life. Yet they all have such fond memories of their childhood, filled with love and togetherness. Their whole family loves Jesus and is a wonderful example to me.
They remind me of this proverb above. They may have had little by the standards of some, but with the fear of the Lord, they had a far happier home than most. The Lord gave them what they needed. The following proverb is similar. It says:
"Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fattened ox and hatred with it."
(Proverbs 15:17)
Solomon's wisdom tells us that contentment with little brings peace. When we are not content with what the Lord has given us, we begin to stir up trouble. We strive where we ought to rest. Our discontentment leads to stress, and high-powered stressful environments fueled by discontentment are tainted with anger, short-tempers, and hatred. Comparison takes over when discontentment reigns, and unchecked comparison leads to hatred and anxiety. Even if it results in much worldly comfort, the proverbs tell us that these worldly gains are counted as loss due to the cost of peace and love. Another proverb continues to make the point:
"Better is a dry morsel with quiet than a house full of feasting with strife."
(Proverbs 17:1)
Peace is priceless. Contentment, even with only a little, brings peace to your life.
Do you trust that God will give you what you need when you need it? If God has taken something away from you, do you trust that He had a purpose in doing so? Peace comes from stepping back to recognize and believe that God's plan for your life–no matter how much you may not understand it in the moment–is truly the best for you. I know far too many families who have much more than my husband's family had growing up, yet their homes are full of strife. If you have to choose between having little with contentment or having much with strife, take the former, and watch how even with little the Lord will fill you and your family with peace and love unspeakable.
Our world often looks down on the simple and humble. However, the Scriptures tell us that simplicity with the Lord outweighs excess without Him. It is a godly paradox: with contentment in little, you actually gain so much more.
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