Ozzie Guillen was introduced last week as the new manager of the Florida (soon-to-be Miami) Marlins, a struggling Major League Baseball franchise. A former player, Guillen managed the White Sox for the last eight years and regularly made headlines for expletive-laden and eccentric comments.
In fact, a few years ago, when a reporter asked him if he was planning to resign his position, Guillen replied, “I’m not a quitter. When I want to quit, I’ll do a lot of stupid things and make sure they fire me and get paid.”
The Venezuelan-American didn’t exactly make good on his promise, but he did react rather colorfully to the press when contract negotiations with Chicago in late September failed to satisfy his financial demands. In announcing his departure from the team last week, Guillen said:
[Bleep] more years, I want more money. Life is about money. People are happy when they make a lot of money.
Common sense refutes such an assertion, of course. And studies repeatedly show that beyond meeting our regular obligations (food, clothing, shelter), money cannot buy happiness. This is what the Apostle Paul was getting at when he wrote to Timothy: 
But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. (1 Timothy 6:6-8)
A lack of contentment would seem to rest at the root of unhappiness. How much is enough? Just a little bit more?
There are many people like Mr. Guillen who have learned well how to make money – but our faith and life confirm again and again the wisdom of learning how to be satisfied with the lot that our Lord permits us to manage and enjoy.
Where do you find your happiness? From where does your joy come?
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