So many of society’s problems today are caused by poverty and it has nothing to do with money or material things. Wait, what? How can this be?
A person can be well off financially but their mind impoverished by zero sum thinking, where life is a game of winners and losers fighting over limited resources. They approach things from a position of scarcity, grabbing what they can before someone else does and never celebrate the achievements of others because that means there is “less” to go around for them.
A scarcity mindset breeds fear and resentment and is a one-way ticket to the Land of Victimhood, where you’re never at fault, nor required to do anything to change your circumstances and thus you forever remain the same. I’ve spent time there and believe me, while the brochures look nice, it’s not a pretty place to end up in.
Just as so, a poor person with little to their name can live very richly through a spirit of abundance. Winning to them doesn’t mean someone else has to lose and they are always looking for ways to help others. They move forward doing what they can to light up their little corner of the world and are not bothered in the least by other people’s accomplishments; in fact they are inspired by them.
My neighbor is like this. Financially poor and physically disabled, she could have easily and perhaps justifiably, closed off her heart and become bitter. Instead she is always ready with a friendly greeting or homemade gift and radiating smile.
God is close to the hearts of people who live this way, with His promises to satisfy the thirsty and fill the hungry with good things eliminating the need to worry and be envious of others. A deep joy results from this, as the enslavement of living by man’s expectations crumbles under the freedom God extends through a life with Him.
So yes, give us this day our daily bread, but not so much that we stuff ourselves silly and start worrying about tomorrow’s take, all while missing the miracles happening every single moment right in front of us.
Live in love, live in abundance.
Freedom Through Empowerment 
Beautiful, Tricia. Scarcity versus abundance is one of my favorite topics. God is the God if all abundance and plenty, like fishes and loaves and springs that never run dry.. The world tends to see things in terms of scarcity. That poverty of spirit, the bad kind, often plagues many well off people, too, like we often see with all those hollywood suicides and drug overdoses. People with great wealth, fame, popularity, and yet it is still not enough to fill the abyss in their souls.
LikeLiked by 2 people
What a wonderful comment IB, the perfect accompaniment to this post. God really does provide us exactly what we need, even if at times it’s not what we want. It’s so true too that poverty of spirit goes hand in hand with suicides and overdoses of people who seem to “have it all.” Suicides of able bodied men are at all time highs and you have to think that plays a role. Really tragic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well said!
All we can control — if we can control anything — is our attitude.
Some form of the word “thank” occurs quite often in the Bible. Where it occurs in this passage is one of my favorites.
How can we give thanks for all things? That goes back to another verse, Romans 8:28. If serve an all-powerful, loving Father, what have we to fear? Why should we not be thankful?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Tom and I appreciate you bringing up thankfulness. Being grateful for what we have and who provided it is a major part of living in abundance.
LikeLiked by 1 person
‘the brochures look nice…………..’
I’ll just stop right here and say nice work T.
LikeLiked by 1 person
🙂
LikeLike
Great insight. Two words clearly interpreted from different perspectives. It made me think of sentence I once heard. “I knew a man so poor, the only thing he had was MONEY!”
If people take the time to read your words, they might be surprised by the impact on their lives.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Jonathan and I love that analogy you provide. Makes things crystal clear!
LikeLiked by 1 person