John Piper on Contentment

The Sunday feature of the Worldly Saints blog is all about quotes. No commentary from me, no reflection, etc. Just a provocative or informative quote from a saint in church history.

“Christians can be and ought to be content with the simple necessities of life. … First, when you have God near you and for you, you don’t need extra money or extra things to give you peace and security. … God is always better than gold. … Second, we can be content with the simplicity because the deepest, most satisfying delights God gives us through creation are free gifts from nature and from loving relationships with people. After your basic needs are met, accumulated money begins to diminish your capacity for these pleasures rather than increase them. Buying things contributes absolutely nothing to the heart’s capacity for joy. … Third, we should be content with the simple necessities of life because we could invest the extra we make for what really counts (God’s kingdom).”

– John Piper in Desiring God