Lentils & Flattery

Friday, May 10, 2019

The philosopher Aristippus lived a comfortable life by flattering the Greek tyrant Dionysius. He looked down on his less prosperous fellow philosophers. One of them was Diogenes. A story is told that one day Aristippus saw Diogenes washing some lentils. Scornfully, he said to him, "If you would only learn how to flatter Dionysius, you wouldn’t have to wash lentils." Diogenes replied, "And if you had only learned to live on lentils, you would not have to flatter tyrants." In Philippians 4:11, Paul says, "For I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am in." If you are to live a life of righteousness, godliness, and greatness, you have to wean yourself from the world, from vested interests, and dependencies. The more content you become with the things of God, the freer you’ll be from the world. Thus, the freer you are from the world, the more you will be able to live a life that is holy, godly, and blessed. Be like Paul- content in all things- and you’ll be free to live a life of greatness.

From Message #1467 - The Great Divestment