As he sat, taking a brief break from the stress of his daily schedule, a businessman saw a fisherman rowing a small boat back into the harbor. In the boat were a few large fish.

Impressed, the businessman asked the fisherman, “How long does it take you to catch so many fish?” To which the fisherman replied, “Oh, not so long.”

The businessman was confused, “Why don’t you fish for for a longer time and catch even more?”

“More? This is enough to feed my entire family and even offer some to my neighbors,” the fisherman replied.

“So what do you do for the rest of your day?” asked the businessman.

The fisherman replied, “Well, I usually have caught my fish by late morning, at which point I go home, kiss my wife, and play with my kids. In the afternoon, I take a nap and read. In the evening, I go to the village to be with my friends, play guitar, sing, and dance into the night!”

Putting his entrepreneurial hat on, the businessman offered a suggestion.

“I have a PhD in business! I can help you become much more successful. From now on, you should spend longer at sea and catch as many fish as possible. When you’ve saved enough money, buy a bigger boat to catch even more fish. From there, you’ll soon be able to buy more boats, set up your own company, build a production plant to can the fish and control distribution, and move to the city to control your other branches.”

To this, the fisherman asks, “And after that?”

The businessman laughs, “After that, you’ll be able to live like a king, take your company public, float your shares and be rich!”

“And after that?” asks the fisherman once more.

“After that, you can retire, move to a house by the sea, wake up early in the morning to go fishing, then return home to play with your kids, kiss your wife, take a nap in the afternoon and join your friends in the village to drink, play guitar and dance into the night!”

Puzzled, the fisherman replies, “But isn’t that what I’m doing already?”

Moral of the story: Be content with what you have. Do you really need to keep pushing for more? Contentment is the state of being satisfied with what you have, and not desiring more. The Bible contains many verses about finding contentment in our relationship with God and not through accumulating possessions.

- Author Unknown

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Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.  Philippians 4:11-13 ESV

Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5 NLT

Better to have little, with fear for the Lord, than to have great treasure and inner turmoil.  Proverbs 15:16 NLT

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.  2 Corinthians 9:8 NLT

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If you have a story or testimony that you think might bless others,
I invite you to send it by email to me (Kenneth Kersey) at godsotherways@me.com.

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