Psalm 23; John 10:1-10
At least once a year our scripture guide (the lectionary) gives us scriptures about God and Jesus as the good shepherd. The Psalmist tells us that God cares for us like a shepherd cares for the sheep – supplying water, food and protection. Psalm 23 is a favorite of many people and is often read at funerals, a time when we all need good news and comfort. The passage about the good shepherd in John reminds us that Jesus’ care for us is a reflection of God’s love. It assures us that we can trust Jesus to care for us as much as God cares for us – again, that’s good news. Especially when life is in the “down” part of “ups and downs” it’s good to remember that Jesus is on our side. There’s care and support available there.
The last verse of the passage in John is my favorite part of this reading: I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. That’s an appropriate summary of a passage that talks about the shepherd making sure that the needs of the flock under their care were met: food, water, safety. It leads me to wonder what we really mean when we talk about an abundant life. The Justice Conversations group read an article in Sojourners magazine this month about this very verse. The author suggested that developed nations misinterpret the phrase in our time. It’s a temptation to think that abundance is about things, lots of things. That abundance means extravagance. Our life is abundant if we accumulate many of the things money can buy – big houses, fancy cars, full closets, expensive trips. I’ve been watching a cooking show about a restaurant which makes amazing food – for $195 a plate. Thousands of people apply to the lottery to win the privilege of paying a fortune for a single meal. It’s a great show and also a great commentary on the current state of our world. $195 would buy a lot of meals for hungry people. Maybe there’s a place for both. Or maybe extravagance for a few prevents sufficiency for everyone. It’s a hard situation to consider.
I did a mini-survey about what an abundant life means when I was having dinner with my family – a dinner that cost more than we expected since inflation has hit restaurants, too. My daughter suggested abundant life means family and experiences. Those seemed like good candidates to me. My grandson who is seven said it meant muffins, which is the love of his life. If you are seven, having your favorite food to eat every day IS abundance. I wonder how you would describe an abundant life?
Let’s think some more about the meaning of abundant life and what it looks like. Have you been thinking about what abundance means to you and would you be willing to share your thoughts?
Here are some things I would include:
Shelter – everyone having a safe place to live
Food – everyone having enough food and healthy food. No food deserts. No complaining about food stamps.
Medical care – everyone having access to the best care available when it’s needed. People getting to make their own decisions with their providers about what “needed” means.
Education – everyone gets a good education appropriate to their interests and abilities. Your education doesn’t depend on where you live or how much money your family makes. Preparation for all careers is valued – college, trade school, professional and service jobs alike – people get to do what they love and are good at.
Family and community – everyone is loved and cherished, no abuse, no bullying, everyone matters
Experiences – Art, music, travel, gardening – people get to try things out and expand their horizons
Leisure – Everybody gets time to rest as well as time to work. Rest isn’t just for those who can afford it. No one has to work three jobs to survive.
Meaning – People have opportunities to make a difference in the world.
In contrast to our current world in which some folks have much more than needed for a good life and millions have much less than is needed, the followers of Jesus suggests that he advocates for everyone to have enough. In his ministry he freely shared what he had, assuming there would be enough to go around – enough bread to feed 5000, enough healing to give it away to anyone who needed it, enough love for every person in the world. There’s a place for the followers of Jesus to counter prevailing wisdom that we must grab all we can get and guard it from those who want to take it from us. Jesus didn’t live that way and maybe we don’t need to live that way either. Maybe there really is enough to go around if no one takes more than they need. It’s a big push to change that way of thinking, but perhaps it’s our place to try.
The educator Parker Palmer suggests that the modern world is hindered by the “myth of scarcity” or the notion that if everyone gets what he/she/they need, someone will have to go without. He applies that thinking to grades: only a few can be “A” students so some must be marked down. This presumes that it’s not possible for everyone in a class to do well. It applies to popularity: only a few can be well liked and some must be put down. It applies to economics: a few people deserve to be rich so the majority must be poor. Palmer tells us that this thinking is a lie. There is enough for everyone to do well, everyone to be valued, and everyone to have the necessities of life. It’s possible to have a school or an economic system in which everyone thrives. The success of some doesn’t require the demise of others.
The concept of abundance is a big topic asking for big changes in how the world thinks. It’s not something we can wrap our heads around quickly or impact over night. It is something worth exploring. It’s an important “what if” for us to ponder. And perhaps the most appropriate people to ask these questions are those who follow the one who said,