Barbara's Banter

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life esteems others. 

Esteem means to respect, regard, or place a high value on. Philippians 2:3 says, “Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”

I read a story years ago about a business school student who was taking a pop quiz. She was quite bright and seemed to breeze through the questions, until she got to the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans this school?”

Surely this was a joke, she thought. She had seen the woman several times. She could even describe her. She was tall, dark-haired, and perhaps in her 50s, but she had never engaged her in conversation or even knew her name. So she left the question blank.

Another student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. The professor said, “Absolutely! In your careers you will meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you can do is smile and say hello.”

There’s a life lesson in that little story. Everyone matters. We are not better than anyone else. We might live in a bigger house, drive a faster car, make more money, speak ten languages, have a law degree, understand quantum physics, or be on the cover of People Magazine, but that doesn’t mean we are better than others. All people are more knowledgeable than us in certain areas.

When we see a homeless person, a drug addict, or someone struggling, it’s good to always remember the saying, “There but for the grace of God go I.” Another little gem is to treat everyone with dignity and respect when you are climbing the ladder of success. You may need them on your way down.

Those who live the abundant life treat others the way they would like to be treated, no matter where they are on the ladder.

*****  

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life knows that time is a gift!   

Today starts Daylight Saving Time. We move our clocks forward so we can have more hours of daylight. You wouldn’t think that one hour this way or that would be such a volatile issue, but people have very definite opinions about whether it’s a good thing or bad. Arizona and Hawaii don’t observe the time change, but the rest of us have to adapt. All in all, most people like having a little more sunshine time during the day. 

Did you know that time is a gift from God—but a limited one? We don’t know how much time we have to live. (James 4:14, Psalm 39:4-5) Therefore, time is a valuable commodity. (Psalm 90:12) So we are admonished to make the most of it. (Colossians 4:5, Ephesians 5:15-17)

God has also appointed a time for everything in our lives. Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us, “To everything there is a season. And a time for every purpose under heaven.” Just like God put the sun and moon in the heavens to mark seasons. (Genesis 8:23, Psalm 104:19) He has given us various seasons or times in our lives. (Ecclesiastes 3:2-8) There’s a time to be born and a time to die. There is a time to plant and a time to reap…and so on.

God understands the experiences, emotions, and transitions we encounter during our time here on earth and in His wisdom, He gives us time to process them. Life is a balancing act. We won’t always be happy. We won’t always be sad. It’s okay to jump for joy and it’s okay to mourn. We have beginnings and endings. We have highs and lows. God is with us through it all and has reasons for the events in our lives.

God is not tied to man’s idea of time. It doesn’t matter what time zone we’re in or if it’s Daylight Saving Time. Our time is in God’s hands. (Psalm 31:16) So whatever time we have should be used intentionally. For some, this might be getting an extra hour of sleep. For others, it might be rising an hour early. Both could be considered wise use of time depending on one’s circumstances.

Those living the abundant life do not take time for granted. They appreciate and savor the gift of time.   

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life is not narcissistic.   

The origin of this word comes from Greek mythology. Narcissus was a hunter renowned for his beauty. He was so gorgeous that he rejected all romantic advances. Eventually he fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water, staring at it for the rest of his life. From this story, comes the term narcissism which is an unhealthy fixation on oneself.

In other words, narcissistic people are self-centered. They focus on their own desires rather than the needs of others. Although they may not say it, they have a “Me! Me! It’s all about ME!” philosophy. Not only do they thrive on inflated egos, they can be arrogant, proud, and overly confident—determined to succeed in spite of an unrealistic view of their skills.

Unfortunately, our world breeds narcissism. It’s changed from an “all for one and one for all” to an “every man for himself” and “what’s in it for me” society. For many, it’s a “me” society, not a “we” society. This doesn’t leave much room for relationships and God is all about relationships. Even the Lord’s prayer says, “Give us this day our daily bread, lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil, forgive us and help us to forgive others.” (Matthew 6:9-13)

Throughout the Bible, we are cautioned not to become self-absorbed or self-righteousness. Take the example of the tax collector who was not liked by many people, and the Pharisee who was considered a religious teacher in the Jewish world. (Luke 18:10-14)

“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank thee that I am not like other men—extortionists, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ But the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, “God, be merciful to me a sinner!’”

The Pharisee was saying, “Look how great I am! Look how much better I am than everyone else. Look at my good deeds. Look at Me, Me, Me!”

However, it was the tax collector who found favor with God. Jesus said the tax collector went to his house justified, not the Pharisee because “…everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:14)

A certain amount of loving oneself isn’t wrong. The Bible says to love your neighbor as you love yourself. (Mark 12:31) But when it crosses over into narcissism, we’re asking for trouble. Cause in the end, true happiness and the abundant life come after we realize it isn’t all about “Me!  Me!  Me!”    

*****  

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life enjoys simple pleasures.  

God’s pleasures are simple ones. Nineteenth century English preacher Frederick William Robertson puts it this way:

All God’s pleasures are simple ones;
the rapture of a May morning sunshine,
the stream blue and green,
kind words,
benevolent acts,
the glow of good humor.

Children capture the essence of enjoying simple pleasures in life. No wonder Jesus says unless we can become as little children, we can’t inherit the Kingdom. (Matthew 18:3) He is telling us we can learn a lot from children. God even lovingly refers to us as His children. (1 John 3:1)

As children we were amazed by yellow daffodils and mesmerized by watching ants carry ten times their weight across the yard. Too soon we become jaded and take our sunsets for granted. We no longer see a colorful sky radiant with colorful reddish, pinkish, and orange hues. We just wish the sun would go down so the light will stop shining in our eyes while we’re trying to drive.

God has much to say about simple pleasures such as enjoying each new day (Psalm 118:24), being content (Proverbs 30:8, 9; Hebrews 13:5), living in unity (Psalm 133:1), being kind (Ephesians 4:32), laughing (Numbers 22:25-31), delighting in children (Matthew 19:14), and appreciating nature (Isaiah 55:12).

In fact, God’s creation beckons us to marvel at majestic mountains, admire vibrant sunsets, smell fragrant roses, and calm ourselves beside still waters. You might say God did the hard work of creating all of this so we could enjoy these simple pleasures in life.  

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life seeks to simplify not complicate.

2 Corinthians 11:3 tells us to guard against being distracted from the “simplicity which is in Christ.”  This is something to think about because we live in a world full of religious complexity. Under the guise of Christianity, we can find ourselves immersed in programs, methods, and procedures designed to occupy our time and attention, but not satisfy our need for Jesus.

In fact, Paul told the Corinthians that his words were not “persuasive words of human wisdom” but rather, he preached the simple message of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1-5) So the message of Jesus is not as complicated as people try to make it.

I think this can describe not only religion but almost every aspect of our daily lives. The world has created so many options it puts our brains on overload. Easy decisions have become more complicated. Most societal options were created to make life easier, but that is not always the case. Sometimes too many options can leave us confused and make it difficult to make decisions.

Plus, we live in a world of discontent because we are enticed into wanting more, more, more of everything. We think bigger is better and expensive is best. Basic needs such as food, shelter, transportation, and clothing have segued into status symbols. Is it wrong to live in a big house, drive a fancy car, and wear designer jeans? Not necessarily—if we know those things don’t bring happiness and we can function just fine without them.  

Sometimes less is better than more. Having less can help us focus on the truly important aspects of life without distractions. We can learn to appreciate beauty without a price tag. We can learn to value relationships over material gain. More programs don’t really satisfy the hole in our hearts that only Jesus can fill.

Simplifying our lives can be a challenge. However, there is wisdom in this Thomas Fuller quote: “Better a little fire to warm us than a great one to burn us.” 

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life knows what true love is.

Our society equates love with an emotional roller coaster ride or a feeling that we can’t live without a certain person. Love is not always about two people falling helplessly and hopelessly into an uncontrollable rage of passion. Just ask anyone who’s been married for any significant length of time and they will tell you love goes way beyond physical attraction. True love is something we do. In fact, it’s a bunch of stuff we do.

Love is a big thing to God. He refers to it throughout the Bible. 1 Corinthians 13 goes into great detail explaining what real love is all about. Here we learn some things we do or don’t do if we really want to love someone: be patient, be kind, be truthful, be hopeful, don’t envy, don’t boast, don’t be rude, don’t be prideful, don’t be self-seeking, don’t get angry, and so on.

This kind of love can be between spouses (Ephesians 5:25) but these scriptures can also be used as a gauge to loving our neighbors (Mark 12:31), loving our families (Ephesians 5:25), loving one another (John 13:34,), and even loving our enemies (Matthew 5:43).

Unfortunately, it’s not easy to love enemies, our neighbors, our families or even our spouses because they are all people—and people are so unlovable. I’m not referring to criminals and those who perform unspeakable atrocities. I’m talking about those we may be close to and have contact with every day. They can irritate and frustrate us to distraction.

Loving people doesn’t mean never getting irritated or frustrated with them. Loving people doesn’t mean always condoning what they do or agreeing with what they say. Loving people doesn’t mean we shield them from the consequences of their decisions. Loving people doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to their faults. Rather, loving people means we deal with them in a kind, patient, respectful, honest, and humble way. (1 Corinthians 13)  

Actually, that’s how God loves us. He knows what we’ve done and loves us anyway. He separates the person from the action. He can hate the action but love the person. He never says what we’ve done is okay when it’s not. However, He always deals with us in a loving manner. And He knows what true love is all about because HE IS LOVE! (1 John 4:8)

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life has learned to be content regardless of circumstances. Contentment can make poor people rich while discontentment can make rich people poor.

The Apostle Paul told the Philippians, “I have learned in whatever state I am to be content.” The word “learned” in this passage indicates contentment did not come naturally. It was not some instant transformation, but rather it was something he learned through his relationship with God.

Did you know Paul wrote these words while in prison, being denied every comfort? The Philippian church had sent him a financial gift and he was truly thankful, especially for their heart-felt care and concern for him. However, Paul wanted the Philippians to know that true contentment looks beyond physical comforts to the peace that comes from knowing God. (Philippians 4:10-14) That’s why he could be content regardless of his circumstances.

True contentment is not dependent on outer circumstances. Paul had learned this. Whether he was exalted or abased, had eaten his fill or gone hungry, flourished or suffered—through it all he could be content and give thanks. (Philippians 4:11-13; Ephesians 4:20)

Contentment is not based on power, money, physical beauty, or material possessions. If it were, all successful, wealthy, gorgeous people who surround themselves with everything money can buy would be happy and content. We know that’s not the case. Actor Jim Carrey once said, “I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it’s not the answer.”

What is the answer? True contentment is an inner sense of peace that comes from knowing God. Additionally, contentment comes from focusing on what we have, not on what we don’t have.

In today’s world, we receive thousands of messages daily trying to persuade us to buy things we do not need with money we do not have. It’s tempting, even though God tells us that a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of things he might possess. (Luke 12:15)

Arsenius was a 4th Century Roman imperial tutor in Egypt who withdrew from Egyptian secular society to lead a prayer-oriented, austere lifestyle in the desert. He was considered one of the Desert Fathers, whose teachings greatly influenced the contemplative life. He was content to live with very little. Yet, when he visited the magnificent city of Alexandria, he wandered through its splendid bazaars. When asked why, he explained that his heart rejoiced at the sight of all the things he didn’t need.

Oh, that we could say the same thing after an afternoon at the mall!

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they
may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life understands the principle of reaping what it sows.

Some Christians believe that because our past sins and future sins have been forgiven they can get away with sin. It’s true when God forgives, He remembers our sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12; 10: 17) However, He doesn’t magically wipe out the consequences of our actions. There is always cause and effect. In biblical terminology, it means we reap what we sow. The abundant life understands this natural law God has put in place.  

This principle is explained in Galatians 6:7-9: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap. For he that sows to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that sows to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

• In our hearts we know this. We say…
• What goes around comes around.
• Things come back to haunt you.
• Your sins will find you out.
• You play; you pay.

Some even put off developing a relationship with Christ feeling they want time to “sow their wild oats.” After all, won’t God forgive us? Yes, He will. We are forgiven for our sins, but there is an aftermath. Sin is like driving a nail through your hand. Forgiveness pulls the nail out and allows healing, but it doesn’t take away the pain or the scar that remains.

Abusing our bodies shortens our lifespan. Going against our conscience leaves the mind dull, impacting our ability to make wise decisions. Repeatedly losing self-control results in anger, envy, outbursts, cruelty, and so on. Giving into what we know is wrong time and time again reinforces bad habits that become a part of who we are. This hinders us from living the full and abundant life God desires for us.

Many think God sits in heaven looking for sinners to zap with an electrical shock. He doesn’t have to do that. Sin carries its own penalty. It’s like drinking slow poison. Eventually it all catches up with you. In the end, no one gets away with sin. Not because of a vengeful God, but because God has established a natural law. We reap what we sow!

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life takes a little effort.

Christians know they are saved by grace, not by works. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Salvation is a free gift from God. If we could earn salvation, we wouldn’t need God to give it to us. And if we could earn it, we would definitely take all the credit. We would boast about how great we are. There are no “work-oriented” requirements we must meet to assure forgiveness. There are no check-lists of dos and don’ts that will make God love us more.

However, we are admonished to integrate Christian principles into our lives. Why? So we can gain wisdom. (Matthew 7:24) So we can be happy. (John 13:17) So we can be constantly reminded of our identity in Christ and not forget who we are. (James 1:22-23) So we can be blessed. (James 1:24) So we can live an abundant life!

Integrating Christian principles into our lives helps us live the abundant life. Of course, this takes effort on our part. Paul said that mature Christians have “trained themselves to distinguish good from evil” by constant use of what they have learned. (Hebrews 5:14 NIV) Timothy was told to train himself in godliness. (1 Timothy 4:7) In other words, we need to train ourselves to consciously and consistently use what we’ve learned. Use it or lose it. God will not automatically give us good habits or self-discipline. God will not force moral character upon us. We get these things by actively practicing the Christian principles we’ve been taught so we can be a reflection of Jesus Christ.

Paul said, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into practice.” (Philippians 4:9 NIV) Practice, practice, practice… They say practice makes perfect. I’m not sure perfection is the goal. I lean more towards making progress which seems more attainable. The more we practice Christian principles, the more progress we will make and the more abundant our lives will be. 

*** 

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV)

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life has a relationship with God.

Christ came so we might have life and have it more abundantly. (John 10:10) Some modern ministers lead us to believe this refers to wealth and prosperity. They encourage people to go boldly before God and claim this promised abundance. These “health and wealth” and/or “name it and claim it” preachers measure faith by how much God blesses us materially. 

In fact, Jesus said that a man’s life does not consist of the abundance of the things he might possess. (Luke 12:15) If we seek first the kingdom of God, we won’t have to be overly concerned about such matters. (Matthew 6:31-33) If we humble ourselves before Him, He will exalt us when the time is right. (1 Peter 5:6-7)   

Of course, an abundant life does not preclude riches or worldly success, but it does not depend on it either. Paul knew this better than anyone. He knew how to be exalted and abased. No matter how bad things got, he could be content and give thanks in all circumstances. (Philippians 4:11-13; Ephesians 5:20) In other words, we can experience the abundant life even if we are going through trials with our family, poor as church mice, or at the bottom of the work force food chain.

We’ve already learned previously that the life referred to in this passage is eternal life, everlasting life, or life without fear of death. The phrase “more abundantly” means “beyond, more, and above measure.” So not only did Jesus come to give us eternal life, but even more than that, He lives His life within us right now. His very presence in us adds something immeasurable to our existence. He is what makes our life worth living in spite of how much money we have in the bank.

If we read the whole passage of John 10, we see it’s about Jesus being our shepherd, we sheep hearing His voice, and Jesus being our open door. The whole context refers to us having access to God. And that, my friend, is what the more abundant life is all about. Not only do we get eternal life, but as an added bonus we have the opportunity to participate in a relationship with Jesus Christ. We have access to the very One who makes it all possible.

Money cannot buy us a “more abundant” life, but God can help us receive it if we let Him. The more we open our hearts to God the more abundant our lives will be. Abundance is not always about having more; sometimes it’s about having enough.

*****

“…I have come that they may have life and that they

may have it more abundantly.” ~John 10:10 (KJV