Matthew 6: 25-34
Years ago, I attended a seminar where participants were encouraged to keep a gratitude journal. Not being the “journaling” type, I found the activity difficult and soon abandoned it. What I missed was the opportunity to collect hundreds of small moments of life—instances of joy, laughter, and light. I lived through them and experienced them, but I never took the time to memorialize, reflect on, or truly appreciate them in a way that could have been profound. It was a missed opportunity.
There are many such missed opportunities. Sometimes I am the recipient of a joyful moment, and other times I am the one who gives joy away as a gift. Perhaps this is a universal experience for you, but have you ever reflected on its profound nature? I am not suggesting that the only way to capture these moments is through a journal, but if you are inclined to write, it can be an easy way to preserve them. I, however, discovered that I needed an alternative approach.
Instead of a journal, I created a file folder of notes and emails sent to me over the years of my ministry. Just last Monday, while preparing a lecture for the Cincinnati Women’s Club, I opened a book I wanted to reference and found a letter from a parishioner who passed away 14 years ago. It was a theological discussion on the Apostles’ Creed, along with his own paraphrase of it. What a treasure to rediscover.
Similarly, I recently found an old Bible that had been given to me 24 years ago by someone I had never met. She sent it from Alabama as a thank-you gift for visiting her lifelong friend, one of our seniors who was no longer able to attend worship in person. Her world had become quite small in those days before livestreaming—a convenience we now take for granted. Nevertheless, I tell you, it was an incredible gift of outreach to so many!
This file is in direct opposition to the concept of scarcity. Scarcity is the belief that there is not enough. It is the false notion that I am not enough. Brené Brown reminds us that this mindset, both personal and societal, has plagued humanity since its origins. Jesus addresses this in today’s passage: “Do not worry about tomorrow…”; there is enough. You are enough!
Pastor Todd