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While we might all agree that God is a "bounteous God," I don't think we'd all agree that we live like that's true. I know I'm as guilty as anyone else, but why? Why do we feel like we need to hoard our money, our, time, our talents? If you've seen the TV show Hoarders, you know how destructive that can be. But a lot of times it's our gut reaction, it's what comes most natural.
I have to admit that when I first started working with The Night Ministry in Chicago (an organization that works with homeless individuals among other things), I was annoyed with some of the visitors' behaviors. They would ask for more food, more health kits, make a fuss when I couldn't give them what they wanted, fight with each other over preferred items and generally try to manipulate whatever system we thought we had set up. I feel bad now, but I couldn't understand why they were so "ungrateful," "greedy" and "manipulative." Thankfully God opened up my eyes to another perspective that changed my attitude towards the visitors at The Night Ministry and gave me greater insight into these "annoying" behaviors.
Unfortunately these visitors had been living in a culture of scarcity. A culture where there is never enough, where you have to fight hard to have your basic needs met, where being polite and generous leaves you starving, cold and taken advantage of, where you take as much as you can because you have no idea when you're going to have another chance. This culture taught them that these behaviors, that I so quickly judged, are the only way to survive. There is no room for giving to others without being sure exactly what it'll get you in a culture of scarcity. There is no trust or guarantee that you will be cared for if you don't look out for yourself first in a culture of scarcity. Vulnerability is dangerous. Generosity is dangerous. Sharing is dangerous.
What Dr. Daniel was talking about is the opposite of a culture of scarcity, it's a culture of abundance. A culture where there is always MORE than enough, where you don't worry about your basic needs being met, where giving and sharing and loving only enhances your life, where you take what you need and freely give the rest away, knowing that there is always more where that came from. This culture teaches us that generosity and selflessness are the only ways to truly live. There is always room for giving without any expectations of reciprocity in a culture of abundance. You can trust that you will always be cared for in a culture of abundance. Vulnerability is a joy. Generosity is a joy. Sharing is a joy. Sounds great huh? Kind of like the KINGDOM OF GOD.
And while I would bet that most of us do not live the lives that my friends at The Night Ministry do, I would venture to guess that we live much more out a culture of scarcity rather than abundance. We think, with the best of intentions, that "If I give this extra money to the church, or to a charity or to my neighbor who's really struggling, and something happens to my car/house/dog/manicure, I'd be in so much trouble. It's really more responsible for me to
I don't know where you're living on the scarcity/abundance spectrum today, but I'd imagine there are days when living in a culture of scarcity is much more appealing because we have more control, or because it's just too risky to trust God this time. This is where we have to examine our hearts, where we have to ask God to teach us how to live out of abundance. Because we can give our 10% and we can volunteer every night of the week, but if we're still living in a culture of scarcity, those things don't bring you joy, they don't bring you peace and it teaches you that everything you've learned about living in a culture of scarcity just might be right. I hesitate to put words in God's mouth, but I'm guessing God would say "that's not the point my child." (when I guess what God would say it often ends with "my child")
So what do we do about this? How do we consciously reject our tendency to live in scarcity? Try it out, trust God, give generously, intentionally stop the voice of scarcity in you head and listen for God (remember is usually ends with "my child"). I'm not saying that it's easy and I'm not saying that it comes naturally for us all, but I am saying that it's worth it. I am saying that this is how God wants us to live and I am saying that God will be there with you.
I'm happy to continue this conversation with you via email, but I pray that God's true words speak to your heart and lead you to a life of abundance.
Jen Hibben, Associate Pastor
We all agree that God is a generous God. Yet we don't live like it. Why is that?
Last Sunday Pastor Jen provided a very challenging and thought-provoking
message that responds to this conflict or contrast -- scarcity or
abundance. It seems that much of the
time we tend to hoard our money and our talents, and that we live by the rules
related to a culture of scarcity rather than a culture of abundance. Our thinking, and behavior, seems to be that we can't give to the church,
or to charity, or to help neighbor, because what if I give and my car breaks
down, or what if I need that money for something else? We have come to believe that we must look out
for ourselves, and that generosity or sharing is dangerous. We're careful to only give if we can be sure
of what it will get us or the benefit we can expect in return. And we've concluded that this is even good
stewardship because this is being responsible.
Yet the Bible and God seem to speak in terms of abundance. Abundance thinking teaches us that generosity
or sharing is a joy. That it's like the
Kingdom of God. Here at the church we
had our Fall Fest celebration that included a Trunk or Treat. One area where we
wanted to be intentional was to have trunks full of candy because we wanted to
offer abundance to all the kids who came -- to offer and have more than enough
for everyone! We wanted to communicate
the feeling of abundant love! Here's the
contrast: The culture of scarcity says
there's never enough; that we have to fight to meet our needs, and to take as
much as we can. That we give only when
we know what we'll get. And there's no
guarantee we'll be cared for. Generosity
and sharing are dangerous. The culture
of abundance teaches us there's more than enough; that our needs are met; and that
we take only what we need, and to share the rest. That we give without expectations, because we
will be cared for. That generosity and
sharing are joyous. This is an area
where all of us can examine our hearts.
How can we stop the voice of scarcity?
It's to pray, "God, how can I learn to live out of abundance --
Your abundance?" Then to listen for
the voice of God. And try it -- live by
a different set of "rules" -- the rules and culture of abundance. To truly trust God! How would your life be different if you lived
in a culture of abundance?
Gene Kelsey, Director of Christian Education
