Radical Wisdom: A 7-Day Journey For FathersSample

Abundance vs. Scarcity

Parenting is tough. It’s one of the hardest jobs around. There’s no manual, no established formula, and God throws curveballs by making every child different. Over time, you grab hold of any principle that makes sense; you try it, and if it works, it becomes yours. 

So I’m going to propose one: create an abundance environment for your kids.

Kids need and want love. As with anything in this world, if it’s in short supply, then it becomes more valuable and creates contention. If it’s abundant, it’s no big deal.

Take oil and salt as examples. Every country needs petroleum, so there’s fierce competition for it. Prices are high and promise to go higher. We fight, we manipulate, we bribe, we sell our souls for oil.

On the other hand, salt is a necessity for human life, but it’s plentiful. The price for a box of salt is a few pennies. It’s abundant. 

When dads fail to engage with their kids, when they stay so busy their kids never feel they matter, when dad’s presence is minimal and he never really has time to hang out with them, that’s a scarcity environment. 

But when dads provide an endless supply of love, when there’s a consistent abundance of daddy’s presence, there’ll be less competition, less manipulation, and more peace in the home. Daddy has to be there physically and emotionally.

An abundance environment doesn’t come naturally, and it isn’t easy.

But it’s worth it.

Question: Is your home an abundance environment or a scarcity environment? Kids thrive in environments of abundant love. They strive in environments of scarcity.