In last month’s Messenger we laid out the case that our culture in the developed world can be seen as one of false scarcity. In other words, many of us who are living quite comfortably harbor the fear of scarcity. Scarcity thinking is a commonly used marketing strategy to convince potential customers that products are in scarce supply and we need to compete with each other in order to get what is “our due.”
From the marketplace, that sense of not having all that we need carries over into our personal
relationships, even within the context of church. Although scriptures tell us over and over of God’s loving provision of “far more than we can ask or imagine,” we scurry around afraid that we won’t have adequate resources for ourselves, much less enough to be open and generous with others. Our faith tells us the opposite: that it is in giving and being generous that we receive.
So how do we ensure that the culture at St. John’s reflects the truth of God’s Word? There are many signs of an abundance culture, and the list below is only a start, but is meant to stimulate your thinking of ways that you could personally take on the task of nurturing a culture of
abundance at St. John’s.
- Spend time each day reflecting on the many things in your life that are measures of “grace
freely given.” Your health, your mobility, a dry place to sleep, friends, more than enough to eat. Humbly begin to realize how much your life and present abundance are a gift from others and from a loving God. Start your prayers with praise and thanksgiving before any supplications that you have. - Say “Thank you” frequently and regularly. If you can specifically name what you are thankful for, it increases the social value of the compliment several times over. A thankful congregation exudes a spirit of abundance and appreciation that is apparent even to casual visitors in our midst. Do it often and specifically.
- Resources are not just time, talent and treasure. You have within you the ability to create a
more generous and giving culture by recognizing other people and the efforts they are making. Give sincere compliments frequently. Make the compliment even more generous by looking the person in the eye when you give it, or by saying their name before the compliment, and by adding just enough more of a comment that the compliment does not sound perfunctory. Compliments about actions are safer than compliments about appearances, but both are appreciated. - Start looking for positives in the occurrences at St. John’s. Stop focusing on where someone may have fallen short. Rather, give the most generous interpretation that you can to any shortcomings.
- If you have something that is negative that needs to be said, say it directly to the person who is responsible, in private. Then drop it. Do not rally an “invisible mob” of folks who agree. Spreading negativity to others erodes the trust that is characteristic of an abundant culture. Likewise, if something negative doesn’t need to be said, don’t say it.
- Greet EVERYONE with a smile and with words of welcome and acknowledgement. No one
comes through the doors of St. John’s without an invitation from God, and we are all members of the family of Christ. Let your brothers and sisters know how good it is to see them. Have fun with learning how to make our culture at St. John’s truly a culture of abundance.
