I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
– philippians 4:11-13 NIV
the 10th commandment is do not covet
- hebrew "betsa" = dishonest gains or he who hates unjust gains (prov 28:16)
- greek "pleonexia" = want to have more and want it in the ugliest way
covetousness = to desire something which belongs to someone else and has no right to have or possess with dishonest means to attain it
the 10th commandment is from inward, the rest were outward behaviours. the last one aims at the heart
it is the sin of sins. it is the root of sins which begets every other sins. it often leads to further sinful action
"the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" 1 Tim 6:10
judas handed over to Jesus for one years worth of salary
antidote to covetousness: contentment
- be content with the lord
- psalms 73:25-26
- hebrews 13:5
- be content with possessions
- 1 Tim 6:6-8: having food and clothing, we shall be content
- Phil 4:11-13: i have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. i know what it is to be in need, and i know what it is to have plenty
- be content with your position
- 1 Cor 7:20-21: be content with being a slave, if you can gain freedom, do so
a few ideas by derek sivers from the tim ferris podcast
- the standard pace is for chumps, curriculums are organized around the lowest common denominator, find ways to get things done faster
- relax for the same results, we're too obsessed with optimization, maximizing every second and every minute, the better way is to learn from your mistakes, try to be effective and be happy. do things but stop before anything gets stressful.
- hell yeah or no, its not between yes or no. anything less than hell yeah: just say no. we say yes to too many stuff. we let these mediocre things fill our lives. when a hell yeah opportunity comes, you wont have time for it. say no to almost everything. so you have time in your life to pursue what you want
- busy implies a life out of control, a person who's got no control over their lives and unclear priorities
- dont be a donkey, Buridan donkey fable. it was halfway between pile of hay and pile of water, it couldn't decide the hay or the water, and died of starvation and thirst. it could've went to water first, then hay (vice versa). the idea is you have time for the things you want to pursue, don't try to do 5 things at once. go fully into one thing, and move on to the next when it's time (i.e. take 2 years to experiment on each of them). this requires foresight and patience.