Article February 13, 2012 Issue

Overflowing with Life's goodness

By Bill Moody

A day hasn’t passed in recent months when one of the lead stories on television newscasts hasn’t pointed to global or national economic turmoil. High and prolonged unemployment rates, financial institutions in crisis, recession, declining real estate values, burdensome tax rates, government gridlock—the headlines have hardly been optimistic. And there’s no question that many people are struggling to keep their heads above the economic waters. Yet for all the “doom and gloom” prophets, others still opt for a more positive outlook. Is the proverbial glass half empty or half full? Or is there perhaps another standpoint we can take that goes deeper—and even offers healing solutions to the challenges confronting people’s lives today.

Whenever I hear that old adage about whether we view life like a glass half empty or half full, I think of the example of Jesus. Why? First, because I can’t imagine that Jesus would have possibly considered his own—or for that matter, anyone else’s—life ever to be half empty. To me, the Master’s entire teaching and practice were always illustrating something key about the wholeness and fullness of life when lived close to God. Didn’t he tell his followers that he had come to bring them life “more abundantly” (John 10:10)? Because of his unwavering trust in God in every circumstance, coupled with his pure understanding of the rich store of spiritual resources available to everyone, there was never a time when Jesus didn’t have exactly what he needed and exactly when he needed it. And he steadfastly used those spiritual resources to bless and heal others.

On more than one occasion, for example, Jesus was faced with the demand to feed several thousand people when only the slightest of provisions were apparent—enough to feed only a handful of people under normal circumstances. Impossible? No, it was not only divinely possible, it was readily accomplished. 