I wonder if I'm the only person who's ever been confused about the difference between contentment and complacency.
I'm told contentment is good. "Be content with what you have." (especially when what I have isn't what I want).On the other hand; The word "complacency" conjures images of a tragically apathetic life, fueled by potato chips and a constant stream of Netflix….
I'm pretty sure complacency is a bad thing...
We could probably all agree that we ought to be content with things like our material possessions, or even our physical appearances.But after that, things can start to get a little fuzzy…
For example: Should I be content with my job or education if it doesn't allow me to use my talents and skills to the utmost?
Should I be content with my relationships, if I know they could be closer and more meaningful?
What about my relationship with God?
Where does contentment end and complacency begin?
I started thinking about these things after reading a verse from the book of Proverbs:"For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;"
-Proverbs 1:32"The complacency of fools destroys them" Hmm…That doesn't sound good.
I wanted to have a better understanding of what contentment and complacency actually were.
…So I googled the definitions.
Not exactly an amazing feat of scholarly inquiry, but hey…I'm not exactly a scholar.
It took about 3 seconds to find what I was looking for, and the Webster's Online Dictionary defines contentment as follows:
"the state of being happy and satisfied".
Ok. That was pretty much what I thought it meant.
The definition of "complacent" however, was enlightening:
"Complacent:
1: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies" (emphasis added).
I think it's reasonable to say, that if contentment is being satisfied with what we've been given, then complacency is an unawareness of our position.
Contentment says: "I have what I need.". Complacency says: "I don't need to change.". It's Satisfaction with what God has provided, VS. satisfaction with self...
Contentment really comes from an attitude thankfulness… And complacency develops from an attitude of , well…… Pride.
And I'm pretty sure pride is a bad thing.
So, this is what I really wanted to know:
Is it possible to recognize deficiencies in our lives, or our circumstances, while maintaining a genuine attitude of contentment?
I honestly think it is.
However, it all depends on where we set our eyes:
"31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."
-Matthew 6:31-33What are we really seeking after?
Once we get our priorities in order, it becomes easier to see what we can and can't live with. And the things that actually do need to change become more apparent. When we have the right priorities, we get an accurate perspective of our position in relation to those priorities.
This makes complacency impossible.
And I'm pretty sure that's a good thing.