Why do people hoard toilet paper and why do we buy lottery tickets? When Covid happened we all went into a hyperdrive of scarcity. People immediately started hoarding for themselves, forgetting that other people were out there who might need what we shoved in one of the many closets of our houses. I believe it all comes from a mindset. There is a mindset of scarcity and there is a mindset of abundance. Here is a link to a reminder of what each looks like.
https://images.app.goo.gl/hSjcd7nQ8AFEPs548
This scarcity mindset is the same mindset behind wanting to win the lottery. Only it is the flip side. We recognize the chains of scarcity, in fact we are sick of it, and we are trying to resolve this issue by winning the lottery. We think, “If only I had abundant winnings I would be generous, powerful, loved, sought after, respected, and listened to”. This is our solution to end the slavery of scarcity we deal with daily. Imagine if we could shed these chains without winning the lottery. Imagine living in a world where there was abundance. Imagine what Christ followers would look like if we truly believed God would supply ALL of our needs.
Philippians 4:19 NIV – And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
This mindset of abundance is the Kingdom mindset of Christ. Imagine being so confident God will provide what we need that we have no reservations about sharing our time, attention, applause, or wealth. Imagine being able to free ourselves from being a slave to scarcity. Imagine never worrying about getting ahead, about getting enough love and attention, about getting enough worldly goods so that we could freely share. We, as Christ followers, would definitely stand out in this world rather than blending in unrecognizably.
I’ll say it again; this mindset of abundance is the Kingdom mindset of Christ. Imagine being confident that God will provide our every need, even toilet paper! Imagine being able to free ourselves from being a slave to scarcity. Imagine never worrying about getting ahead, about getting enough love and attention, about getting enough worldly goods so that we could freely share.
It seems to me that the mindset of scarcity is earthly and the mindset of abundance is heavenly. Jesus demonstrated this for us. He never was rushed or worried. He didn’t even get riled up when his disciples reported the competition of someone driving out demons in His name. Imagine rejoicing when someone else is getting the applause, the attention, the credit. Imagine giving without worrying if there was enough for ourselves. Imagine welcoming those seeking a safe place to call home. Imagine seeing fellow sinners with the eyes of Christ and no judgement. This would indeed turn my world upside down. Jesus was the author of the upside down world.
How do I break this vicious thought pattern of scarcity? The first step of change is always the same: to become aware of my need and desire to change it. Do I really want to change? Until my heart is transformed into desire for a Kingdom mindset, I will not change. And transformation comes by seeking Christ in prayer and scripture daily.
We as Christ followers must choose a hundred times a day which mindset we will use to view our world. Christians are heavenly bound, Spirit filled bodies trapped on a foreign planet of opposition. We were born with that earthly mindset and must remember every moment of our day to see our world through that heavenly mindset of abundance because in Christ, we have won the lottery! So maybe it is time that we live into that reality of a world of infinite abundance. No jealousy, no competition, no hunger, no poverty. We would look out for the other guy because we know that our father, the King of the Universe, provides generously and abundantly for us.