Scarcity and Abundance: Which are You?

    The organizational guru, Stephen Covey wrote about the “scarcity mentality” in his best-selling book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People:  “Most people are deeply scripted in what I call the Scarcity Mentality. They see life as having only so much, as though there were only one pie out there. And if someone were to get a big piece of the pie, it would mean less for everybody else.”

     By contrast, he writes of the abundance mentality:  “The Abundance Mentality, on the other hand, flows out of a deep inner sense of personal worth and security.  It is the paradigm that there is plenty out there and enough to spare for everybody.”  What does this mean?

• With a spirit of scarcity, there’s only one pie with 8 pieces.  But with a spirit of abundance, there’s more pie in the oven.  In fact, there is the belief in an abundant supply.  
• With a spirit scarcity, there’s never enough.   With a spirit of abundance, there’s more than enough.  
• With a spirit of scarcity, you have to be stingy because there’s only so much to go around.  With a spirit of abundance, you can be generous because you know there’s more to give.  
• Scarcity is driven by fear:  Fear that there’s not enough money.  Not enough time.  Not enough energy.  Not enough love.  Abundance is driven by trust.  The trust that God will provide.  That God is a God of providence.  That what he gives is sufficient.  A trust that God has given me abundance so that I can give it away.   
  

     Do you have a mentality of scarcity or a mentality of abundance?  Do you say things like, “There’s not enough?” Or “I’m not enough?”  Or do you say, “I’m taken care of.  I have enough.  I have an abundance, I can even give away.” 

2 Corinthians 9:8: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”  Paul describes a spirit of abundance in his ministry and the mission of the church.  Here's a breakdown of this verse:

God is able to bless you abundantly:  Abundance ultimately comes from him. Abundance does not come by my hard work, luck, or kharma.  God calls us to work hard, but HE ultimately grants abundance.  GOD is able.  Do you believe that?  Do you trust him?

Having all that you need:   Abundance means that God provides enough.  What he gives is sufficient.  Some televangelists preach a prosperity gospel that the goal of the Christian life is to become extravagantly rich.  Sufficiency does not mean extravagant wealth.  It means God gives you enough, exactly what you need.   

  You will abound in every good work:  God doesn’t give abundance so you can sit on it.  Store it up in a big bank account.  Package it and keep it in the basement.  Hide it in the mattress.  There is a purpose in abundance.  Grace abounds so work can abound.  You are given to so that you can give away.  Love is given so it can be sent.   

     God’s love is not scarce.  God does not say, “Oh, I don’t have enough.  There are a lot of people.  There’s a lot of need.  There’s only one piece of pie, 8 slices.  I only have so much.  I can only give a little slice of help.  A little piece of grace.”  

     NO.  God’s love is extravagantly abundant.  Liberally generous.  Scarcity sees one measly pie that must be fought over.  But God is not scarce.  He makes more pies.  He takes five loaves and two fish and feeds thousands.  He takes one man on one cross and by one death, he wins back nations.  He says, “My grace is sufficient for you.  My power is made perfect in weakness.”Paul says, “God is able to make all grace abound.”