Half Full or Half Empty?

And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And he said to him, “You have judged rightly.” Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.” And he said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” Then those who were at table with him began to say among themselves, “Who is this, who even forgives sins?” And he said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” (Luke 7:40-50 ESV).

People approach life with one of two general attitudes: an attitude of scarcity, or an attitude of abundance. An attitude of scarcity says there is not enough. Therefore I must conserve. I must hold back. I must live sparingly. People with an attitude of scarcity go through life with an eye-dropper, carefully measuring out the contents, fearful lest they spend a drop more of themselves than is absolutely necessary. Simon the Pharisee has an attitude of scarcity. An attitude of abundance, on the other hand, says: there is more than enough. There is plenty of everything. Therefore I can be openhanded, openhearted. People with an attitude of abundance go through life with an alabaster jar, lavishly pouring out the contents. The woman who anointed Jesus’ feet has an attitude of abundance. Her glass was certainly “Half Full”! Even in the most challenging of times we ought to recall the great grace of God in the work of Christ on our behalf. It should prompt us to believe there is more than enough love within us; to understand there is more than enough mercy in us; and, there is more than enough forgiveness. We’re not going to run out. Our account of goodness does not decrease when you use some. We can afford to be lavishly generous. We don’t need to portion ourselves out with an eye-dropper, a bit here, a bit there. We have enough time to volunteer. We have enough resources to share. Throw away that eye-dropper. Go ahead, be extravagant. Think about it today. How will you show your glass to be half full? How will you share the abundance God has given to you? Remember the large debt that has been cancelled through the work of Jesus on your behalf.