The Good Life

This past Saturday was my clean the house day and everyone knows you can’t properly clean without good music so I just had to play some classic rap. Although rap has many downsides, I’m not afraid to admit I still blast a little Fresh Prince or Public Enemy from time to time. It’s a vice I know I need to let go of, especially with today’s rap music, but back to my story. As I was mopping the floor a Kanye West song came on called “Good Life.” It immediately took me back to those days when getting paid was my top priority. My wife and I worked full time jobs and owned a business. My mindset was to as Kanye put it “watch the money pile up… welcome to the good life.”

A big house, luxury cars, eating at fancy restaurants and taking expensive vacations was my goal. That might seem like the good life and if you can achieve it, then good for you, but I've learned what living the good life really means. It all boils down to this: being content in any and all circumstances. Like Paul, the apostle, I've learned to be content when I have a little or a lot (Phil 4:11-13). I'm just as happy when I can eat at Mastro’s Steakhouse or McDonald’s. Why? Because when I eat at a 4-star restaurant I've been blessed to do so and when I eat from the dollar menu I've also been blessed. You really don’t have to look very far to find people who wish they could scrape together a few quarters for a cheeseburger.

So what’s the key to being content like Paul? It starts by understanding what’s truly valuable. Paul gave up so much when he became a Christian. He was a well educated highly ranked member of the Pharisees (the Jewish religious leaders) and he enjoyed his power and status as he rose to become the leading persecutor of Christians. That’s until his encounter with Jesus which changed everything (Acts 9:1-19). Paul exchanged his comfortable lifestyle to a life of being beaten, starved and imprisoned as he preached the gospel. He not only endured when times were tough but he was content with whatever he had because everything Paul used to treasure he now counted “…as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus…“ (Phil 3‬:‭8‬).

Once you allow Jesus to take the lead you’ll see that your happiness isn’t determined by what you do or do not have. It comes from knowing Jesus has prepared an eternal home for us (John 14:2-3). Now for those who do worry about the here and now, God promises to give us everything that we need (Phil 4:19). It doesn't mean you won't have struggles but it does mean those struggles won't last. The peace of mind that comes from knowing you may not know how or when, but God has got you is priceless. So become part of the chosen, a royal priesthood (1Peter 2:9) that’s been justified and glorified (Rom 8:30) and then it won’t matter if you’re on an exotic beach or stuck at home watching Tubi… you’ll be living the good life. 

Think about it.