What We Take for Granted in a Land of Plenty

Supply shortages. That’s a phrase that as recently as a few years ago, most of us had never heard – or if we had, we didn’t worry about it. We could hop in the car, drive to the nearest grocery store, big-box store or department store, and find exactly what we wanted, when we wanted it, however much we needed. Alas, the old Bob Dylan song told us, “The times, they are a-changin’,” and they still are. 

 

First came the COVID pandemic, then many of us were locked town, told to stay home, not to go to work while we waited for “the curve” to flatten. For a variety of other reasons only economics and supply-chain experts can explain, suddenly store shelves were no longer full; some were empty altogether. Remember the great toilet paper panic?

 

To some extent, critical shortages that caught many of us totally off-guard have eased, but these days we still must hunt for certain items we need, things that once were right at our fingertips, “on-demand” like some TV shows and movies via cable services. 

 

In the book of Exodus, we read about God preparing the Israelites for the Promised Land, “a land flowing with milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). I doubt the Lord had the United States specifically in mind, but we’ve certainly benefited from living in a land of plenty. However, we’ve become spoiled – I think this started a long time ago – and when the “plenty” turns into scarcity in some instances, we don’t like it at all.

 

For followers of Jesus, this presents a challenge. Because we’re told to be “in the world but not of the world,” drawing from His prayer to God for “those whom you gave me out of the world” (John 17:5-19). He instructed believers, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where mother and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, whether moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19-20).

 

The key to this admonition is the verse immediately following: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” I don’t know about you, but I’ve grown very accustomed to the abundance readily available for most of us and find it disconcerting when its accessibility seems threatened.          

 

At such times we need to ponder the wisdom of the apostle Paul, who told disciples of Christ in the church of Philippi, “I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through [Christ] who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

 

We live in a very materialistic society, constantly told the answers to all problems are financial and tangible, simply being able to acquire enough “stuff.” The Bible doesn’t teach asceticism, but neither does it teach wholesale pursuit of wealth and worldly possessions. In fact, we reminded, “the love of money [and things it can be used to obtain] is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).

 

Instead of that, Paul told Timothy where his – and our – focus should be instead: “But godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6).

 

When Jesus told His hearers that where their treasure is, there their heart will be also, I believe He was saying that our “treasure” should be godliness, a continual yearning to please God, to be His righteous vessels for a world around us that desperately needs Him and to learn about Him. 

 

So, whenever we find ourselves frustrated because our favorite items are unavailable – whether canned foods, toilet paper, a dress, or a car – maybe our initial reaction shouldn’t be to curse the supply shortage. We can respond first by considering people in other parts of the world, Ukraine or somewhere else, who have lost everything. 

 

Next, we need to be thankful – and to give thanks – for what we do have: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Can we sincerely give thanks – even at those times when we don’t necessarily feel thankful?

And finally, we should ask ourselves, “Am I truly pursuing godliness with contentment, and discovering that indeed, it is great gain?” If I must confess my answer to that question is “No,” then I think God is probably asking me, “Why not?” Because as 2 Peter 1:3 declares, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.”