Contentment

Philippians 2:14-16    
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

We are told to do everything with contentment and godly reasoning, not by complaining and arguing.  Why?  So that we might grow in holiness, standing right before God and man in doing good.  In this world we are to shine Christ’s light as the adoptive children of God Almighty, demonstrating the straight and narrow way of righteousness in Him to the world in honor of the Father.  These lights we shine outside of the bushel basket, clearly putting forth the truth in love from His word.  To do this, we must both hold fast to that word and hold it out to the world.  Mere lifestyle will have little effect without the word that brings faith, yet our obedience should back up the change His word makes if indeed the Spirit of God loves in us.  Then we will not have lived empty lives, but worked and run this race for eternal things.