St. Paul said "I have learned to be content..."

After 3 weeks of frequent lack of electricity, and occasional absence of water from the faucets, and after finishing the reading of the condensed version of "Escape from Red China", my thoughts turned this morning to St. Paul's statement in Phil. 4"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength."

The man who escaped from Red China was Chinese, and had traveled to the U.S. in the early 1950's. A professor he had studied under in China urged him to return, to help build the communist project in China. After returning to China, it took him some time for his idealism to change to fear and despair. He resolved to find a way to escape, and succeeded.

The common thread in these two instances is the difficult path St. Paul, and Loh
(the chinese man) both experienced. St. Paul said in II Corinthians 4 "we are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed but not in despair, persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."

I have seen in bits and pieces, and heard some stories, of the deep challenges the people of Burundi face. In varying degress, they walk, and have walked a very difficult path.

How does one live life in the face of utter demoralization the masses faced in Red China under Mao? How did St. Paul cope after receiving 39 lashes five different times; being shipwrecked, not once, but 3 times,
imprisoned numerous times, and more? How do the Barundi have hope? Do they have hope? Not in just these three instances, but among the whole of humankind, daily, thousands struggle from hunger, thirst, the ravages of war, abuse, and injustice.

St. Paul said he had learned to be content. If I ponder on his claim for long, I am nearly incredulous. Here in Burundi with humidity and some heat, this American is thankful that God gives grace to "keep on keeping on" when electricity is erratic, when the heat brings fatigue. Yet, today, this child of God pauses to ponder, to process. Deep in the heart of every human being liesthe cry for contentment, joy, and justice. There is in my heart today a question, "What did Paul mean when he
said "he had learned to be content in any and every situation"? What are the implications of this statement for me? For the Barundi? For each of us?

Was Paul crazy? That's doubltful. How could he claim that he had learned to be content? why even try to learn to be content?
Yet, he said he had learned? What was Paul's secret?

Friend, there is dissonance in my heart this morning. Can a person be content when he is hungry? In pain? Ravaged by evil?
A westerner would be filled with self-loathing if they even whispered to a brother or sister here: "Oh, please, just learn to be like St. Paul -- learn to be content in any and every situation". How utterly reprehensible!!!!
What an utter desecration and corruption of the gospel.

Contentment? How much can I experience if I do not seek to lesson the discontent in the heart of my neighbor?


Father,
Your Son gave His life so man can experience contentment. What would you have me give?