December 30, 2025
- djohnstoncc
- Dec 30, 2025
- 2 min read
BE SHAPED BY GRATITUDE, NOT GREED
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
“What should we do?” some soldiers asked.
John replied, “Don’t extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay.”
Luke 3:14 NLT
TODAY’S THOUGHT
It is striking that Roman soldiers were listening to John the Baptist—and even more striking that they were convicted enough to ask, “What should we do?”
These were not religious men. They were armed representatives of an occupying empire. Yet John’s message carried such spiritual authority that even hardened soldiers felt the weight of conviction and the need for change. That is the power of a word anointed by God—it reaches across backgrounds, titles, and temperaments.
Roman soldiers possessed significant power, and with that power came constant temptation. They could intimidate, extort, and accuse persons for personal gain. Power often feeds the craving for more power, and that craving quickly becomes an addiction that is never satisfied.
The desire for more is always a trap. Once we surrender to it, there is never enough.
John’s instruction cuts straight to the heart of the issue: honesty and contentment. “Be content with your pay.” Content.
Contentment is not achieved by getting more. Contentment is learned—by enjoying what God has already placed in our hands.
The apostle Paul echoes this truth: “Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth” (1 Timothy 6:6, NLT). When we trust God as our source and learn to rest in what He has provided, we discover a deeper satisfaction than accumulation could ever offer.
Contentment does not mean laziness. Scripture never praises passivity. We are called to work diligently, steward wisely, and grow continually in skill and knowledge. Contentment is not the absence of ambition; it is ambition anchored in trust.
As we consider our goals for the new year, let them be shaped by gratitude, not greed. May we pursue growth while remaining content, trusting God to accomplish His purposes for our lives.
TODAY’S PRAYER
Holy Spirit, help me to trust You as my Source and Provider. Teach me to partner with You in Your purposes for my life. Guard my heart from the trap of always wanting more and train me to be content with the blessings You have given me.
“Scroll down to share what you feel God is saying based on today’s reading.”
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