Contentment versus Complacency

I've been contemplating contentment versus complacency today.

I've been frustrated by the culture here so much recently because of this very concept. People want to call complacency being content.

Now let me be clear, I think there is a fine line to walk between these two concepts. As a believer, I want to allow God to continue to refine me to being content when it comes to the blessings He has given me. I want to grow in recognizing those and having a thankful heart each day (that is something that I could use  a lot of work in). However, I do not want to EVER EVER become complacent when it comes to how I use my time, and basically, my life.

I feel that this is a culture that, for the most part, stresses "contentment" in a lot of situations where what they are actually doing is being complacent. Please also hear me when I say this issue is not specific to China, it's global, a struggle for all of mankind. But there are some things, societally, that reinforce this among people.

People thinking I am strange to want to adopt children...I should be "content" to just have my own. People thinking I am strange to still feel so deeply disturbed by injustices around me and all over the world "what can you do about it?". In a country where speaking out against oppression and injustice is STILL not welcomed in the least, I have been frustrated because sometimes I feel so powerless to do anything. I am, and always will be, a foreigner in this place. I miss the diversity of the States right now, because even though things are far, far from perfect...I've never faced persecution from the law for trying to change things (although you might face persecution from other people).

It makes me want to cry sometimes how little people seem to know or care about the rest of the world, and little is being done with the education system here to remedy that. I know that this is a problem in the U.S. too, but it seems that 99% of my students here have no clue about the world....

I guess my point is that I am tired of feeling pressure from Chinese family members to just "settle down, stop caring about radical ideas, and focus on "好好过日子“ （a term that I have come to detest, it means "spend the day well" and what is usually meant by it is make sure you cook 3 perfect meals and clean your house all day). Even from our Christian family members this doesn't seem to translate to spending time reading the Bible, in prayer, or helping people in need. If we do not sit home all day cooking and cleaning we are believed to be wasting our day.

These are jumbled up thoughts, but the strangled cry of my heart today is one of frustration at a world where people are content to work, cook, and never leave their hometown until they die, taking with them not one single thing or memory of value....and I'm frustrated because I feel like I've bought into that too recently....feeling content to stay home, have morning sickness, and sometimes cook. Sigh.