Visiting “have not” countries is a great way to learn to appreciate what those of us in Western nations have. To be frank about it, we’ve never had it so good. We have educational opportunities, homes to live in, food in abundance and the most freedom of any peoples.

But we also have complainers. What a contradiction—and yet, at times, we have all joined the ranks of the dissatisfied. The Bible advises us to “be content with such things as you have” (Hebrews 13:5).

Contentment, it seems, must be learned and relearned. We may allow those who have more than us to assail our levels of contentment. Emotions such as jealousy or resentment can cause us to want more. Sometimes we even lose what we do have in greedily trying to gain that which we do not.

Few can suffer the company of a complainer, but almost everyone enjoys a person who is content.

The glass is either half empty or half full. How will we choose to see it?