Barbara's Banter

The Abundant Life: Riches money can’t buy…

The abundant life works well with others. This is done by looking for ways to edify or build others up, not by cutting them down in order to look or feel superior.   

Edify is an interesting word. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 encourages us to edify one another. In this passage, the Greek word for edify is “oikodomeo” and technically it means to build up. This does not mean false flattery. Edify means to enlighten or improve. The advantage of building others up is that we become a stepping stone to a good result, not a stumbling block.

1 Corinthians 8:1 tells us that knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. When dealing with others, it is better to take a loving approach which is reflected in what we do or say. Situations are enhanced or improved because others are willing to listen. People rarely listen to those who think they know it all or think they are better than others.

Romans 14:19 (NLT) says we should aim for harmony and try to build each other up. Having a spirit of harmony is another way of saying we should strive to work well with others. This is not accomplished by being overly critical, but by letting others know they are valued and appreciated. Listening to what others have to say has a validating effect.

Edifiers foster a feeling of cooperation. Although they may be the team leader, they have the ability to be a team player as well. They won’t ask others to do what they aren’t willing to do themselves. They treat others with the same kind of dignity and respect they wish to receive. They realize that putting others down never eases a situation. Better to say something that will help, rather than hurt. Admonition does not have to leave someone devastated.

When we were youngsters, we would receive evaluations from our teachers. Some comments might say, “Little Johnny plays well with others” or perhaps “Little Johnny does not play well with others.” If little Johnny did not learn to play well with others then, he might not know how to work well with others now—because the same basic principles apply.  

Those living the abundant life have learned how to play and work well with others. They know how to bring out the best in another person, so everyone can benefit.  

*****

“…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 Jesus is enough.  

We live in a world where nothing is ever enough. We are bombarded with subliminal messages letting us know we aren’t rich enough, thin enough, smart enough, successful enough, happy enough, or good enough. In the eyes of the world, we will never measure up because we will never be enough!

That’s the bad news! The good news is we don’t have to be enough because we have Jesus.

We learn from the story of the widow giving just a tiny donation, that it was enough once placed in Jesus’s hands. It was valued more than what wealthy people gave. (Luke 21:1-4) We learn from the story of the two loaves and five fishes which couldn’t have possibly fed the multitude. Yet, it was more than enough in Jesus’s hands. (Matthew 14:15-21)

Jesus is enough. He is the bread of life. (John 6:35) He is the living water. (John 4:13-14) He is the strength of our hearts. (Psalm 73:25-26) He is love. (1 John 4:8)

This message of not being good enough even carries over into the Christian community. I remember when my grandfather became ill. He was a gentle man who became a Christian at a young age. He was a deacon in a little country Baptist church where he taught Sunday School for decades. He helped neighbors and strangers alike, and never said one unkind thing about anyone. He had an exemplary reputation and was affectionately called “Uncle Doug” by all who knew him. At his funeral, I heard not one but several people say, “Well if Uncle Doug doesn’t make it to heaven, there is no chance for the rest of us.”

They would be surprised to know that when I spent a week with my grandfather while he was in the hospital, I came into his room and found him crying. I asked what I could get for him. What did he need? Did he need pain medication? No—he was crying because he felt like he was a sinner. He hadn’t done enough for God. He wasn’t good enough to meet his Maker. He was concerned that he would not make it to heaven.

He was right about a couple of things. We are all sinners. We will never be able to do enough for God. However, he was wrong thinking he wouldn’t make it to heaven. What he didn’t fully grasp is that’s it’s not our goodness that gets us to heaven. It’s God’s greatness. When Jesus lives in us, He is enough. (Galatians 2:20) 

Those living the abundant life don’t weigh themselves down trying to earn God’s love. They realize God’s love is freely given. (Romans 5:8) After all, if we could be good enough on our own, we wouldn’t need Jesus.

*****

“…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 will sometimes embrace illogical thought.

Most of us are logical thinkers capable of reasoning in a cogent way, but the abundant life realizes not everything beautiful or miraculous is logical. It isn’t really logical to mix the colors blue and green, yet there is no other way to see purple. It isn’t logical to think the smaller guy will win the battle, yet David killed Goliath. And I won’t even approach the logic of whom we choose to love.

Today is Easter Sunday, a time when we celebrate the resurrection of our Savior Jesus Christ and one of the few times a year some people come to church. One has to wonder how they would even know which Sunday they should come to church since the date of Easter changes from year to year, which is not logical. 

Plus, the history of Easter is a bit confusing. No one knows the exact date of Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection, but scriptures tell us it was near the Jewish Passover. Therefore, Easter used to be a local custom celebrated around that time of year. As with all things pertaining to Christ, this became controversial because Christians were not all celebrating on the same day. So in 325 AD, the Council of Nicaea decided a specific day should be set aside for this observance. Eventually it was decided Easter would be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox. Hmm? Even when people try to simplify something, it’s complex.  

Further complications abound today. For example, the East and the West observe Easter on separate dates because one uses the Julian calendar and the other uses the Gregorian calendar. I won’t get into the differences between the two because it would take too long, but suffice it to say it involves Julius Caesar, Pope Gregory the Thirteenth, plus 10 to 12 skipped days here and there when their calendars were instituted. Oh yes, and let’s not forget that both the Julian and Gregorian calendars follow the cycle of the sun and seasons, but Easter is calculated by following cycles of the moon (lunar).

Then the name itself is unusual when you think about it. The word “Easter” really has nothing to do with Christ’s resurrection no matter how hard we try to make it say that it does. Add to this an Easter bunny who brings candy and parents who hide decorated hard boiled eggs. I guess it’s a miracle we can focus on what the day is supposed to commemorate. It’s all so illogical!

However, in spite of all these distractions, the message of Christ being crucified, raised from the dead, and living will not be muddled. Pulpits across the world will proclaim this good news and many who only come to church this one day a year will hear it—and their lives will be more abundant because they do!

*****

“…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 all our seasons, especially spring.  

Spring has begun. During spring, the trees start budding, the flowers start blooming, and the birds start singing.

When I hear the birds sing I often remember a spring when our daughter Sherisa was four and we were living in Kentucky. We had church services in a rustic building located in a wooded area. One day when we came out of church, she lifted her hands towards heaven, twirled around slowly, and said, “The birds, the birds! Listen to the birds.” Actually, it sounded more like, “The boirds, the boirds! Listen to the boirds!” What a precious, sweet spring moment to savor!

Spring isn’t a season you want to rush through. I guess after being cooped up all winter, the tendency is to rush out and do things. Sometimes when you rush into things, you miss so much! It’s nice to slow down and reflect a bit. Spring is a wonderful time for reflection.

With spring comes a message of rebirth, renewal, and hope. We see dormant flowers start to bloom and trees budding with new growth. We hear birds singing and see more people walking in the mornings. It’s as if the whole world comes back to life.

Is it any wonder God chose this time of year for the resurrection of Jesus Christ? People witnessed his crucifixion and death. Many thought what He stood for was all gone. Yet, He rose from the grave and came to life. (1 Peter 1:3) Of course, everyday is a day to celebrate Jesus! But the rebirth of spring is a gentle reminder of one of the reasons we do.

Those who live the abundant life know this, so they slow down a bit and savor the spring season.    

*****

“…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 peace.

Much is said in the Bible about peace. Ephesians 4:3 says, “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit and the bond of peace.” Matthew 5:9 says, “Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called the children of God.” In fact, we are instructed to seek peace and pursue it. (Psalm 34:14)

This is easier said than done, because dealing with people can be very difficult—and at times, we can be very difficult. Sometimes our zeal to always be right can hinder our relationships with others. How important is it to always be right?

For example, let’s say you are driving down the road and another car is coming towards you. Both of you are in the same lane. You have a right to be in that lane and the other car doesn’t. However, the other car has no intention of changing lanes. Neither do you. In fact, you are adamant about your right to be there. So a head on collision occurs and both drivers die. Yes, you were right. You might say you were “dead right!” But who cares? You’re dead.

Those who feel they must always be “right at any price” leave a trail of hurt and sorrow wherever they go. They are argumentative and belligerent. They might win an argument but lose a friend. Peacemakers are not argumentative or belligerent. They develop qualities like humility, gentleness, patience, kindness, and meekness which helps them have a richer, more abundant life.  

There may be times when we should take a stand, but if we are honest with ourselves, most of our conflicts are over trivial matters. The Bible tells us to avoid foolish and ignorant disputes because they generate strife. A servant of the Lord should not quarrel. They should be gentle to all, exhibiting patience and humility. (2 Timothy 2:23-26) God’s servants should be kind to everyone.

David said, “Lord keep me from presumptuous sins.” (Psalm 19:13) It’s not good to presume that we are always right and the other guy is always wrong. Those living the abundant life realize that quarrelsome people seldom accomplish desired results. They seek and pursue peace.

*****

“…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 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)