What Do You Really Believe About Abundant Living?

One of my first memories is about a gift that my grandfather gave me.

I forget if it was a gift for Christmas or for a birthday. It could’ve been just a gift that my grandfather wanted to give me for no special reason. It was a shiny new tricycle.  I had seen other little boys and girls riding around on their tricycles, and I really wanted one.

But for some reason I refused to get on this tricycle that my grandfather was giving me. I could not believe that it was mine. Finally my grandfather picked me up and placed me on the seat of the little bike, but I wiggled off it as quickly as I could— still not believing that it was mine.

My grandfather picked me up again and placed my hands on the handlebars. He would not let go, and he took what seemed to me to be giant steps. The tricycle moved forward with me on it, and eventually I believed that the tricycle was mine! “Yes, Rickey, the tricycle is yours,” my grandfather said to me.

I think of this tricycle incident often when I contemplate Jesus’ affirmation: “I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10). 

I know that most people who come to Spiritual Life Center do not still have a belief in a masculine God with a long white beard and flowing white robes floating in the sky. Most people at SLC would say that they long ago got rid of a “punishing God” who raps you in the knuckles with a metaphysical ruler every time you step on a crack.

However, I know that even as a minister the old “the tricycle can’t be mine” thinking can creep back into my consciousness. That is why I believe that all of us must be on guard against “error thought thinking” (e.g., thoughts of scarcity, lack, something good is bound to be taken away from me, abundant life is not possible for me, etc.) Daily prayer and meditation is a good time to check and see if “error thought” weeds are sprouting in our garden of consciousness.

Jesus did not say, “I have come that everybody except you—Rev. Rick—can have life and have it abundantly.”

One of the first major writings about the New Thought movement came from William James in his excellent book, The Varieties of Religious Experience. James was a professor at Harvard University, and many viewed him as being the dean of American psychology. When Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung made their tour of the United States, one of the key people they said they wanted to meet was Dr. James.

In his book Professor James referred to the New Thought movement as being based on “healthy-mindedness.” At the center of this movement was a “healthy” view of the nature of the Divine. Instead of a punishing God, New Thought believed in a loving and supportive God who was in the image of Jesus’ concept of abundant living, James wrote.

However, I believe that if we are not weeding our garden it is quite possible to have flowerbeds that contain both beautiful plants and at the same time “error thought” weeds. It is quite possible at one moment to think that abundant living can be—and is—ours. But in the very next moment we can fall into fear that God’s will for us is nothing more than doses of prune juice, cod liver oil, and Metamucil.

I like going back in my mind and reliving this early memory of my grandfather. Only this time, in my mind I am hopping on the tricycle, riding it around, and saying, “Thank you grandpa!”

Many Blessings,

Rev. Rick