Abundance
abundance
[uh-buhn-duhns]
noun
an extremely plentiful or oversufficient quantity or supply
overflowing fullness
affluence; wealth
The last thing we need to be worried about in this country at this time in history is abundance, right? We’ve got it pretty good:
Median household income of $59k when the world average is $9k.
A national median home price of just under $200k.
An almost 50 year low of 3.7% jobless rate.
A national health system making care available for all.
Things are awesome, right?
It doesn’t exactly feel that way, does it?
Why do you think that is?
While there are many reasons, I’d like to focus on two of them.
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
The enemy of joy seems to be working overtime.
Our definition of life to the full (abundance) is a little off.
The first is a spiritual reality, stated pretty matter-of-factly here, that far too many of us fail to realize. C.S. Lewis said that one of our great mistakes is that we either make too much of the devil or not enough. The reality that we are living in a fallen and broken world shouldn’t require too much convincing at this point. (Who you source all that trouble to is more of a theological question; one that our 500 words here won’t allow us to dive too deeply into.)
Jesus seems to be saying; the first statement is a reality, but I came to not only fix that, but do something really extraordinary in spite of that. So moving to the second idea here, what does abundance really look like? What kind of abundance does he mean?
Maybe it sounds like some of the things we just heard at our last Lifeplan retreat:
“I can sense already a waking up, a new stirring and a sense of possibility, combined with an action plan that has emerged from this weekend.”
“The time, work, and process has brought clarity to the chaos of ideas that have been swirling in my head for months/years. I’m more excited and certain about next steps than I maybe have ever been.”
“It is a freeing experience which allows you to envision how you can make an impact now and throughout the balance of your life.”
“I realized a deeper sense of spirituality in the process and my life has a revised path that I cannot wait to live!”
If abundance looks anything like that, I want more. These pictures of “abundance” seem to fly in the face of all the conventional thinking on the topic. There isn’t anything about income, employment, or wealth in those hopes and aspirations articulated above. I just hear more life and life to the full. Living more fully as they make a greater contribution to this world.
Consider
How would you define abundance?
Do you consider your life to be abundant based on that definition?
How much do you think it is costing those you love and lead to not be operating with “overflowing fullness” as the definition above states?
What do you think you need to do about it?