By His Word
“As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy.” —1 Timothy 6:17
Some people imagine that following Jesus means saying goodbye to everything enjoyable. They picture a life in which laughter becomes suspicious, pleasure requires an apology, and faithfulness is measured by how little happiness we allow ourselves. I understand how that impression develops. We speak often about sacrifice, and rightly so. Jesus calls us to deny ourselves and follow Him. Yet we can present that calling so incompletely that people hear an invitation to permanent gloom. Then we open Paul’s letter to Timothy and discover a wonderfully generous description of our Father: He provides for our enjoyment. That word belongs in our understanding of Christian living. The God who teaches us holiness also created the taste of a ripe peach, the comfort of friendship, and the delight of hearing a child laugh.
Paul places this encouragement within a warning. Timothy was ministering in Ephesus, and he needed to address believers whose possessions could tempt them toward pride and misplaced confidence. Earlier in the chapter, Paul warns about the desire to become rich and the damage caused by the love of money. Here, he instructs those who already possess wealth. They must remember that riches are uncertain and that God deserves their trust. The passage then moves directly toward doing good, generosity, and sharing. Enjoyment belongs within that whole picture: trusting the Father, receiving His provision, and opening our hands to others. Paul’s concern reaches beyond what people own to what their hearts depend upon.
God invites us to enjoy His gifts while keeping our hope anchored in Him. That distinction touches ordinary life. I can enjoy a comfortable home without expecting it to protect me from every sorrow. I can appreciate a dependable vehicle without allowing it to determine my worth. I can welcome a good meal without making indulgence my daily pursuit. Trouble begins when a gift receives the trust that belongs to its Giver. A bank balance can pay a bill, but it cannot forgive a sin. A beautiful house can shelter a family, but it cannot guarantee peace within that family. God’s blessings serve us well when we receive them according to their purpose.
The Greek word translated “enjoyment” in 1 Timothy 6:17 is apolausis. Paul’s use of it gives us room to receive God’s provision with gladness. We need that reminder because we can become so accustomed to blessings that we stop noticing them. We swallow breakfast while worrying about supper. We sit beside someone we love while thinking about everything still unfinished. We move through a world filled with evidence of God’s generosity and feel only the pressure of what we lack. Thanksgiving helps awaken our attention. When I pause to thank the Father for something specific, I begin to recognize that even familiar blessings are worth receiving carefully.
This does not mean that everything we desire is good for us. A loving Father sometimes withholds what His children request. Scripture’s invitation to enjoyment never excuses dishonesty, excess, or pleasure purchased through another person’s suffering. Nor should we suggest that faithful Christians will always possess comfort or material abundance. Some of God’s people face severe deprivation. Others carry grief that makes enjoyment difficult for a season. We must make room for their tears. The generosity of God is ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ, whose love remains certain when circumstances are painful. We can trust His character even when we cannot explain what He has allowed.
Paul also helps us see how contentment protects joy. If happiness always waits for the next purchase, promotion, or improvement, today can never be enough. There will always be something newer to desire and someone else whose life appears easier. Contentment allows me to appreciate what is actually before me. A grateful heart can receive today’s blessings without demanding that tomorrow provide more. That does not forbid planning, working, or improving our circumstances. It frees those activities from the impossible task of becoming our salvation. We can work diligently while remembering that our deepest security has already been placed in the hands of Christ.
Generosity grows naturally from that security. In the verses following our opening Scripture, Paul urges believers to become rich in good works and ready to share. The person who trusts God can begin asking a different question about possessions: “What good might this make possible?” A dining table can become a place of welcome. A little extra money can ease another person’s burden. An afternoon can become a visit that interrupts someone’s loneliness. Sharing allows a blessing to reach beyond its first recipient. We discover that enjoyment can deepen when someone else is invited into it.
Today, I encourage you to pause over one ordinary gift you might otherwise overlook. Name it before the Lord. Enjoy it attentively. Then consider one way to extend His kindness to someone else. In 1 Timothy 6:17–19, Christian enjoyment takes its shape from trust, gratitude, and generosity. We receive good things from God, resist making them our security, and use what we have to bless others. The gift becomes an occasion for worship when it draws our affection toward the One who gave it.
For further reflection, the Theology of Work Project explores these connections in “Work and Money: 1 Timothy 6:3–10, 17–19”.
If a younger person comes to mind as you read, invite them to explore Keaton Talks, where everyday experiences open conversations about faith, choices, and growing in wisdom.
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