The Scarcity Doctrine

I recently listened to Daring Greatly, by Brene Brown. She talked about how the idea of scarcity creates a toxic environment. The idea that there is not enough - not enough jobs, social security, power, food, etc. to go around - creates a toxic environment in our country, politics and organizations. It is more than just being worried; it creates decision-making that is short-sighted and based on groundless fears.

We all know that political ads on both sides of any issue use this kind of strategy in an effort to motivate us to political action and to voting a certain way.

In Luke 11:9-13, Jesus encourages us to ask God for anything/everything, and to keep at it.

But this attitude of scarcity can affect our Christian walk too. I’ve been guilty of thinking that God has more important things on His mind that whatever is worrying me or causing me pain. Have you ever felt that God wouldn’t want to hear about your “minor” issue?

We are the children of God. 1 John 3:1 [NKJV] (first half) “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” As a parent, I cannot imagine saying to my children, “this thing that is bothering you is not important to me”, whether that thing was an issue at school or a lost sock. God is an infinitely better Parent that I could hope to be.

The most toxic of a belief in spiritual scarcity would be to allow Satan to get us to believe that God has only enough love to lavish on a specific church or belief system.

James 1:5 [NKJV] tells a different story. “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

Two points to consider here: (1) God gives to “all men” and (2) God give “liberally”. This scripture is talking specifically about asking for wisdom, sure, but it is supported by what Jesus Himself outlined about the giving nature of our Father God in at least two places that I want to mention.

The first is Luke 11:9-13, where Jesus encourages us to ask God for anything/everything and keep at it.

The second is Matthe 5:43-48, where Jesus talks about loving our enemies as a way to be the children of our Father who, as verse 45 tells us, “Sends rain on the just and on the unjust'“. Note that Jesus isn’t just talking about sending rain on believers who where Jews or Greeks, but on those not even bothering to worship - the unjust.

Strong’s tells us that this word translated “unjust” means the following: unjust; by extension wicked; by implication, treacherous; specially, heathen: — unjust, unrighteous.

God sends the blessing of rain to those who are flat out wicked, as well as those who might qualify themselves as just (although we know we are not, per Romans 3:23, unless we repent and are justified by Jesus’ blood).

The Father wants us to understand that He is a God of abundance. He has plenty of love to go around. His mercy is abundant. [See Numbers 14:18 and Psalm 86:15 for example.} He is able to pay attention to your stubbed toe and work stress, even while the world is facing war and famine and your family member is struggling with cancer.

The idea of spiritual scarcity is from Satan. We worship the God who sees [Gen. 16:13]. He is our Abundant God.