CHAPTER 1

Abundance and Scarcity—How Do You See?

All of creation is a symphony of joy and jubilation.—Hildegaard of Bingen (12th Century)

God's interest is transforming the world into a household in which all of God'screatures can find abundant life.—Douglas Meeks

Introduction— I

I am a gardener. The most important task I have as a gardener is to buildhealthy soil. Healthy soil is full of life, retains water, holds nutrients,helps minimize pests and plant disease and is the foundation for a deliciousharvest. Unhealthy soil is bereft of life, sloughs off water and nutrients anddoes much less to protect plants from pests and disease.

Abundance and scarcity are two markedly different soils, producing verydifferent harvests.

To paraphrase Mary Jo Leddy, living out of a framework of scarcity—thereis not enough—nurtures seeds of fear, war, hoarding and injustice. Livingout of a framework of abundance—there is enough—nurtures seeds ofgenerosity, trust, peace and community.

My essay "Enough for All" serves as a kind of extended introduction to the nextthree pieces. The first is an exercise more than an essay: writing your moneyautobiography. Brueggemann and Twist then reflect on the themes of scarcity andabundance, themes which are foundational to our experience of life in general,and our experience of money specifically.

Writing Your Money Autobiographyby Michael Schut and Ministry of Money

In this book's introduction (see page 15), I suggested that each of our lives isa sacred journey. We can look through any number of windows to guide or framethe process of reflecting on that journey. We could take our relationship withour parents through which we would learn not only about that specificrelationship, but about ourselves and our views on life. Or we could reflect onlife through the lens of a significant event, time period or belief system.

Writing a "money autobiography" often provides a revealing window through whichwe can access a great deal of insight into who we are and what we value.

Whether you are reading through this book on your own or as part of astudy/support group, I strongly encourage you to give yourself the time toprepare your money autobiography. As described below, the idea is to write athree-page (or longer if you wish) autobiography dealing with the subject ofyour life as it relates to money. Doing so will undoubtedly enrich and deepenyour engagement with the authors and ideas presented throughout this anthology.A money autobiography can invite light and a gentle breeze into the web ofinsecurity, passion, fear, pride, joy, and hope all tangled up in ourrelationship with money. Writing such a piece often provides greaterunderstanding, healing and freedom in that relationship.

Below please find guidelines for writing. Try not to be concerned about whetheryou feel your words are eloquent or well organized. You don't need to be a "goodwriter," just be honest and open in relating how your relationship with moneycame to be, and how it continues to change and manifest in your life. Obviously,the reflection questions are a guide; work with those most meaningful to you.Some of you may find it helpful to integrate other creative avenues, such aspoetry or drawing/painting in the process of writing and creating your moneyautobiography.

Guidelines for Writing Your Money Autobiography

Writing a money autobiography is a challenging and crucial step in understandingour behavior and the powerful feelings evoked by money. Even for those of us whofind it difficult to write, reflection on money and our life's journey yieldsinsights and deepened awareness.

Conversion is hearing and knowing God's love and call in our lives, becomingconscious of what has been previously unheard or unaccepted. Jesus repeatedlyspoke about money and challenged the disciples, the scribes, and the crowds tobecome conscious of money and their relationship to it. We, too, need to examineour thoughts, feelings and behaviors which relate to money. As we discern theways we earn, inherit, invest, spend, give or waste money, often withoutconscious choice or a deliberate faith stance, we will be enabled to respondmore fully to God.

A money autobiography can be useful not only in personal growth, but also in thegrowth of the church. Whatever blocks our response to God as individuals alsocripples the Body of Christ, the church. The Spirit cannot set us free to becommunities of liberation if we are in bondage to an ancient idol. As we grieveover our entanglement with materialism, status and power and as we openourselves to compassion, new vision and hope will flow through the church to theworld.

We encourage you to set aside some quiet time, take up your pen, and discoverfor yourself the gifts of healing, insight and freedom which often come when weacknowledge feelings, attitudes and experiences evoked by money.

How to Prepare a Money Autobiography

Elizabeth O'Connor, in Letters to Scattered Pilgrims (Harper & Row), hasgiven guidelines for writing a money autobiography. It is important to focus onfeelings and relationships as well as reflecting on factual accounts. Usesome or all of the following questions as appropriate and helpful. Write athree-page autobiography which deals only with the subject of your life as it isrelated to money.

Include the role of money in your childhood. What is your happiest memory inconnection with money? What is your unhappiest memory? What attitude did yourmother and/or father have about money? What was your attitude toward money as achild? Did you feel poor or rich? Did you worry about money?

What was your attitude about money as a teenager? What are your memories of thisperiod?

How do you feel about your present financial status? What is your presentfinancial status? What is your income? What are your other assets? What willyour income be at age 65, 75, 80? Will you inherit money? Do you think aboutthat?

Are you generous or stingy with your money? Do you spend money on yourself? Ifso, do you do it easily?

Do you gamble with your money? Do you worry about money?

When you eat with friends and there is a group check, are...