As Good As It Gets

As Good As It Gets
1 Timothy 6:6-19
The title of the sermon is the same as the title of a movie starring Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, and Greg Kinnear. In the movie, Nicholson plays the role of a character that has an obsessive-compulsive personality. When walking, he avoids stepping on the cracks in the sidewalk. When washing his hands, he always uses a brand new bar of soap. When he locks the door to his apartment from the inside, he always counts and clicks the lock the same number of times each time he locks the door. (Of course, we know that he only needs to click the lock one time to lock it.) He is a man who doesn’t like change of any kind. One day he has a bad day. He is upset, and he goes to his counselor without having an appointment. When the counselor refuses to see him, he turns to everyone in the office waiting room and says, “What if this is as good as it gets?” He is worried that his life may not get any better. If there is no hope that things will get better, then there appear to be two options. One option is discouragement and despair that things won’t ever get any better. Another option is acceptance and perhaps even contentment with the way things are. This may be a good question to ask ourselves: What if this is as good as it gets? Of course, we know that things may change, we have different chapters in our lives. Good things and bad things happen to us and to those that we love. But what if, generally speaking, this is as good as it gets?

The apostle Paul wrote at least two letters to Timothy. In the first letter, he wrote that there is great gain in godliness with contentment. The key word here seems to be contentment. There were some people that Paul knew who were not content with what they had – they wanted more. These people thought that more money would make their lives better and that they would be happier. Paul also writes that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. It is important to note that he did not say that money is the root of all evil, but that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul writes to address the danger of people’s lives getting out of balance. Those who have become obsessed with getting rich have wandered from the Christian faith. They have caused themselves and others great pain. They thought that more money would solve their problems, and that if they just had enough (which meant more than they currently had), then they would be happy and content. But their search for contentment through riches has not gotten them what they wanted. They have more, but they are still not content. For Paul’s audience, the issue was the love of money. But that is not the only love that can threaten our faith.

Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of relationships. We may want to be accepted and want to fit in so badly that we may compromise our values and miss out on the very happiness that we are seeking. We may want the approval of others and may want to be liked so much that we will do anything to get it. In the process, we may cause ourselves and other great pain. Everyone wants to be loved, but sometimes it is not worth the price that we have to pay to get the approval of others.

Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of success. We can give ourselves so completely to being successful in one area of our lives, that we may fail in other areas of our lives. People can be so focused upon their work and career that they may sacrifice the quality of personal relationships. Success at work may mean that the family has to suffer. It can be a challenge to keep things balanced and in perspective. We may also view life as a constant competition – we feel we always need to win and that we will do whatever it takes to win, or to be successful. In the meantime, we may lose other things that we have neglected in our pursuit of success.

Another focus that can threaten our faith is the love of security. We may be afraid to make any changes, to take any risks, or to make any sacrifices, because we are afraid we might fail, or that something bad may happen to us. And so, we never change, we never take any risks, and in our pursuit of security we become very insecure. In trying to protect ourselves, we may miss out on much that we have to offer to others, and much that others have to offer to us.

We all want to be happy. But a better goal may be found in the words of Paul. Our aim could be to have godliness with contentment. That could mean that faith would give balance and perspective to our lives. And it could mean that we would learn to be content with what we have. It doesn’t mean that we don’t have goals and dreams. But it does mean that our faith keeps us from being consumed with money, relationships, success, or security. Faith can remind us to keep all of those things in balance in our lives.

This seems to be the basic message that Paul is trying to give to those who read his letter:
1) Fight the good fight of faith – wrestle and struggle with your desires and dreams, and with your wants and needs.
2) Look beyond today, tomorrow, and even next year, and see the bigger picture. Look far ahead and ask yourself what will really matter in the end.
3) Remember that God created all things and that Jesus gave us the example of a faithful life. Ultimately, the only thing that matters and that lasts is faith in God through Jesus Christ.

Remember the words of Paul: There is great gain in godliness with contentment. That is a good as it gets.