Jesus said, “I come in order that [my sheep] may have life and they may have it abundantly” (John 10:10; emphasis mine). Sadly, the world has successfully robbed most Christians of this mindset, including myself.  The world tells us that resources are limited and scarce. It tells us that we need to acquire as much as we can when opportunities arise. It says that you are not enough on your own and you need more.

Jesus tells us that life in him is a life of abundance. He says that God continuously provides for us. He says to be satisfied with food and clothing. He says that he is enough to satisfy our needs. He says that because we have this life of abundance, we ought to give and share with others, especially those who are in need.

We have so much material wealth and luxuries that we take for granted every day. Most people do not have to worry about if they are going to be able to eat or live to see the next day. The vast majority are far above a subsistence lifestyle and have a surplus of wealth. God provides for us abundantly, yet most do not give from their abundance because they believe the aforementioned lies that the world tells them.  If we can’t be generous with our wealth now in a time of abundance, how will we ever be like that widow who gave her only two pennies?

I will leave you with a few questions to reflect on: How can you cut back on unnecessary expenses so that you can use that money to give to others? Are you showing hospitality and generosity to others outside of your family on a regular basis? When you look back on your purchases from the last month, how many of those things did you truly need? When you bought those “unnecessary” things, did you at least share them with others?