There's an Abundance Monty... by Merwin

here was an Eddie Murphy movie back in the late 80's titled, The Golden Child. In that movie his character goes into the deep catacombs of a Buddhist temple in Nepal to win a majic knife that was needed to kill a demon. Anyway... first he has to choose a door from, I think, three options. Which of course launches him into poking fun at the head monk, "...who are you? Are you Monty Hall now?" Eddie's character quotes the monk as he rolls his eyes "You must choose..." and then "Monty Hall..." (Monty Hall / Lets Make a Deal / TV game show)

Well he chooses and finds that this door leads to the path that forces him to navigate his way across a bottomless pit that has... what appears to be the tops of wooden poles for places to step to make it across all while not dropping any water that is in the glass he must carry.

He takes one look at the pit and yells back "Hey where's the floor? This room doesn't have a floor..." Then he smiles like only Eddie Murphy can, and yells, "There's a floor... There's a floor Monty..." He then takes a coin out of his pocket, flips it into the pit and waits... and waits... then finally yells "There's no floor!"

What in the heck does this have to do with abundance?

Jesus said "I have come to give you life and that more abundantly." And the prosperity preachers and teachers like to use this scripture (among others) to encourage the desired mindset in their congregations that Jesus wishes us to have abundance on this side of glory, as well as the great by and by. And... clearly that is what this verse teaches.

Abundance of life is not necessarily an abundance of finance, it can be that as well, but I don't think that is specifically what Jesus had in mind. You see in the verse we speak of, Jesus is encouraging and instructing His disciples to desire the abundance He mentioned, as He is using it as an incentive of sorts.

And if it were finances He spoke of, it would be in contradiction of His other teachings... "You cannot serve God and mammon" and, "Take no thought of what you will eat, or drink, or wear, these are the things the gentiles seek after. But seek you first the kingdom of God and all these things will be taken care of for you by your Father in heaven who loves you."

So... kind of like Eddie Murphy's character we flip our coins into the bottomless pit of the misunderstanding of what abundance means, and wait... and wait... and wait... for the expected result, and finally we yell back, "...There's no Abundance!"

Maybe its not exactly what we think.

So what then, is this "life more abundant"?

Let us finally dismantle the financial ideal before we discover the answer. Finance is usually translated by the people (like me) who do not have it as being their passport to happiness, security and over-all joy, and then when they are blessed with financial abundance, more often than not it burdens them with worries, heartaches and a sense of emptiness that they have never had to learn about or cope with in their past.

And yes, their are plenty of success stories telling of happily ever afters, that are true... I am just saying, cash does not translate always into everlasting smiles, does anything?

Abundant life should speak to us of well rounded, deep meaning and fulfillment. An abiding joy, an enthusiasm for life and purposeful direction, even if we may not understand what that direction may be. A confidence in your God's intentions for you even through the ups and downs of your adventure. Please take notice that He has declared Himself as unconditionally loving you and intending you to have this life abundance.

Please read my earlier but related Hub... http://hubpages.com/hub/Taking-Oneself-Too-Seriously-by-Merwin .

Flip your coin if you feel it to be a good thing... but even if you don't you should still hear the ring of His truth loud enough to yell back, in faith... "There's Abundant Life... there's Abundance Monty!"