I met with my uni friend yesterday. He is indian and apparently working for one of the top bank in Australia. We talked about many things including work and investment. We talked about that since he told me a story that he had lost quite a lot of money in the stock market ($65,000 out of his own pocket money) and I was interested in that since I am going to do finance this year.
Well, I was wondering where he got the money from that he could invest hundreds of thousand of dollar even though he graduated at the same year as I did. I asked him more about his work and all that. Apparently he started working since he was 2nd year at uni. It was quite extraordinary that he managed to work full time and doing computer engineering course full time. In the end he told me that his salary these days is around $105,000. It used to be $150,000 he said. And wow ... I was so ... how to describe it ... shocked ... BIG SHOCK ATTACK! It's not funny ... :)
Suddenly this jealousy entered my heart and mind. How come this guy get that much of a salary even though he graduated on the same year as I did? It's not fair ... I was jealous yesterday, REALLY JEALOUS OF HIM .. Imagine what I could do with $150,000 salary? *I will fall into greed and love of money I think*. I tried not to show that I was shock in hearing his story.
I came home .. I sat on my bed ... thinking about it ... ponder about his situation and my situation. It was not really appropriate for me to be jealous ... Now that I think about it, it was a sin to think that God's blessing in my life now as NOT ENOUGH. It is funny on how you can be thankful to God one day and the next day you just feel as though God has not blessed you with all that you need. Sinful people like me always need reminder that His grace is enough. YES, IT IS ENOUGH. He has given His Son Jesus, what more can you askkkkkk??? It is enough. I am much more luckier than him since I know the true and only God.
But the question remains, I always feel confused about the topic of contentment. I feel that to be content can bring you to a static non-progressing life. Being content may mean (not always) that you are opposed to changes in life, You always feel that you've had enough even though you can do better or should do better at work/school/business/ministry. How do you balance between the two, contentment and achieving? I am confused since I am inclined to think that content person is most likely more lazy than people who actively seeking things.
Paul in one of his letter says to slave, if you have a chance to be freed, take it. The question is should the slave feel content as a slave or should he seek actively for his freedom? If he seeks for it does it mean he is not content with his life? The bible teaches us to seek and be content. How do you balance between the two? My thinking now is that seek in the bible is related to the kingdom of God and all its righteousness. Being content is related to things of this world, the blessings that God has given us. We have to be content with God's blessing since no matter how hard you work it all comes from Him.
Any opinion?
2 comments:
I guess the key between the two is the motive behind why you want to achieve smth.. like you said that you were jealous, maybe at that time you need to learn contentment, but if you want to achieve smth to bring glory to God, then by all means be ambitious about it! :]
Motive .. that is interesting ... I sometimes have a blurry vision on my motive as well ... Human are imperfect ... good motives at first might end up with the wrong ones in the end ..
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