Scarcity? Or Abundance?

I recently read a book called Slow Church. It takes a page out of what is called the “Slow Food” movement and applies it to the church. The Slow Food movement began in Italy (where else) as a protest against Fast Food. Slow Church is a rethinking of the way we've been doing church in this country for over a hundred years. I really think they're on to something. It is a book that is more about asking the right questions than it is about providing the right answers. The authors encourage local church communities to think deeply about God's grace, generosity, hospitality, and patience; and to shape our relationships with each other and with our neighborhood as an image of God's relationship with us.

One of the most important parts of the book for me was the discussion of God's abundance and the devastating effects of "perceived scarcity." In chapter eight, Mark tells the story of Jesus feeding the seven thousand. Of this story, the book says, "The disciples' focus was on what they LACKED. Jesus was focused on what they HAD. He took an inventory of the food at hand, which amounted to seven loaves of bread, and then ordered the crowd to sit down. He gave thanks for the bread and told his disciples to distribute it. Then someone found a few small fish, Jesus ordered that these be distributed as well. When everyone had eaten their fill, the leftovers were gathered and they filled seven baskets. . . . . Like the disciples, we tend to focus more on what we don't have, what we can't do and where we fall short. We often define and appraise our faith communities the same way. What is ABSENT can OBSCURE what is PRESENT."

What is absent can obscure what is present. When I was a kid on the farm, I frequently focused on what was absent. I said to Daddy, "If we had a tractor sprayer like Mr. Reynolds, we wouldn't have to mess with this home-made rig pulled by the mule." "If we had a big truck, we wouldn't have to haul the tobacco around on the back of this trailer." "If we had an irrigation pond, we wouldn't have to spend so much time damming up the creek to make a pool." And Daddy always responded, "Yeah, and if frogs had wings they wouldn't bump their bottom on the ground. But they don't, and we don't, and get to work."

Sometimes we in the church focus on what is absent and fail to see what is present. We find ourselves saying, "If we had more members," or "If we had better attendance," or "If we had more money, or a nicer building; or, or, or ___________.” We see our lack and it fills our eye so much we cannot see what we have, which is truly very good. This book recommends being what it calls “asset-minded.” A good exercise for all of us is to take a few minutes to map out the assets of our personal lives, of our neighborhood, of our country, and of our church. I invite us to remember the many ways God has been abundant to us, to say prayers of thanksgiving for all the things we have, and to think of exciting ways we can use our many blessings to share God's love with the world.