5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

Hebrews 13:5-6

Explanation:

Conversation here means “manner” or “disposition”.  It speaks to lifestyle which would include our words but does not exclude the way we act.  The preacher says that our manner should exclude covetousness.  Greed should not be a part of our lifestyle.  Rather than greed, or covetousness, our manner should be contentedness.  We should be satisfied with what God has given to us.

Look at the argument he makes for contentedness.  He quotes God the Father who said, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”  Why is this an argument for contentedness?

1. We do not have to worry that we will not have enough, because God has promised to be with us.
2. If we have the Lord, and find our satisfaction in Him, we have enough.  Stuff goes away.  Stuff will let us down, but God never will.

If this is our disposition, to depend on and lean on the Lord, we will be able to say two things.

1. “The Lord is my helper.”  I don’t have to be merely self reliant.  I can be reliant on the Lord.  
2. “I will not fear…”  We don’t have to be afraid of men.  Fear of man can be debilitating.  Greed makes us dependent on people, and people can harm us.  When we are dependent on God we know our destination.  We do not have to fear.

Application:

It seems as if fear of man showing up in our lives may be a signal that we are not depending on the Lord as we ought to do.  Our manner in that moment may be that we are not content.  In a culture where we have everything available to us, we should stop and ask ourselves the question “do I really need that?”.  It’s not wrong to have things, but it is wrong for things to “have” us.  Will we be content in our relationship with Jesus Christ?

Response:

Heavenly Father, It’s amazing what I can depend on beyond you.  I can find my hope in technology, my home, my car, my money.  Help my stuff not to have me.  Help me to be contented with what I have, and to find my contentment in you.  You are my helper.  Amen.