August 19, 2024 Devo

Andrew overhears Jesus’ conversation with Philip about feeding the large crowd and chimes in. He’s come across a boy willing to share his lunch and makes it known to Jesus, but he immediately discounts the offer with the statement, “But how far will they go among so many?” His lack of faith is what is called “scarcity thinking.”
Scarcity thinking is a fear-driven way of looking at the world. It’s the belief that there is only so much to go around. Only so many jobs. Only so much money. Only so much opportunity. Only so much of whatever it is that I need. That presumption that there is “only so much” causes various reactions in people. It causes us to cling tightly to what we have. It causes us to become self-centered and focused on “getting ours.” It causes us to be stingy. And it causes us to discredit what God can do.
Contrast that with “abundance thinking.” Abundance thinking puts God in the equation. It believes that “little is much when God is in it.” It believes that whatever we lack, God can make up the difference. Abundance thinking allows us to be compassionate, generous, and willing to share what we have. Abundance thinking acts in faith. Like the widow who gave her last two pennies, abundance thinking understands that God honors generosity, and He is still Jehovah-Jireh, our Provider.
All Andrew could see was the limited amount of lunch that the boy had to share. He may have thought about his own hunger and felt if he started giving it away, there wouldn’t be any left for him! His scarcity thinking led him to fear, doubt, and self-preservation. He simply forgot the Abundant Jesus who stood before him.
Leave your scarcity thinking behind. Step into faith, generosity, and confidence in the sufficiency of God. He who made everything out of nothing can take your meager resources and do something beyond your wildest imagination. He is a God of Abundance. That’s God’s Word for you today.