More

Written by cycleguy on January 27th, 2014

It is not unusual to say or to hear it said, “I want more.” From my perspective, we get that from two sources.

We get it from the false belief that more is better. I have often thought things would be better if I had a bigger church.

The other source is our old man. (No, not our father, although I despise that terminology). The old man in me, although Christ may reign as King, still rears his ugly head.  And whether I am talking about the person who does not follow Christ, or the one who does, the battle is ever-present.

You see…even if I could be the pastor of a larger church, while the demographic and possibility for help/volunteers might be greater than in a small church…people are still people and will clamor for their own way. I just don’t see that as something which changes. I’m reading this crazy (a good crazy) book called David and Goliath by Malcolm Gladwell. It was recommend by Dave at his blog “Reflections from the Alley.” For a good first glance at the book, check out this post. At Dave’s recommendation from that post and one other, I decided to buy it. I’m glad I did. I just finished a chapter where Gladwell says, “More is not always better.” (p.48), but later in that same chapter he says something which really hits home:

The small class is, in other words, potentially as difficult for a teacher to manage as the very large class. In one case, the problem is the number of potential interactions to manage. In the other case, it is the intensity of the potential interactions. As another teacher memorably put it, when a class gets too small, the students start acting ‘like siblings in the backseat of a car. There is simply no way for the cantankerous kids to get away from one another.’ (p.57)

Of course, because of my line of work, I began to think in terms of the church, and you know what?  He is absolutely, 100% correct! Many churches, especially the small ones, struggle because of sibling rivalry. It is especially grueling for those who want to be top dog. Big or small difficulty invades them all. Maybe the key is being content with what and who God has given me and stop clamoring for more and the “what if.”

Good advice for us all.  Are you content with what you have or do you still want MORE?

 

 

18 Comments so far ↓

  1. Daniel says:

    It seems that as I get older (and older), I am getting to be more content with what I have. Maybe because I am doing O.K. and have risen to my own expectations, or maybe because I have had sufficient time to get used to my level of acquisition.

  2. I find myself wanting more way too often, even when I know I don’t need more.

  3. jeff says:

    More stuff? Nah
    More Love? Of course.
    And right now I need more coffee.

  4. Kari Scare says:

    After having more and being offered more and at the same time being physically and mentally defeated, I learned the hard lesson that more is not always better. Living a simple life (which I realize is a relative term) allows me to go deeper with fewer and to not be so spread thin with many. I have a book idea swimming around in my head titled, “It’s Not About the Numbers,” and it gets at this idea that measuring and comparing are not where contentment are found. In my spiritual life, I am not content. I want more of God. In the rest of life, I continue striving toward contentment. Interestingly, as I focus on more of God, I want less of the other stuff.

    • cycleguy says:

      Sometimes it takes radical life situations to show us what is offered is not all its cracked up to be. I like that book title. I also like the subject.

  5. floyd says:

    I’ve learned a lot about this subject over the last several years. I realize deeply that I don’t need more… but I still tend to struggle with the flesh and it’s lies.

    It’s the small things in life that can’t be calculated by a number that always add up to be the most. If it feeds our pride then it’s taking us the wrong direction.

    • cycleguy says:

      i won’t lie and say I don’t want for more at times. Take away my bike. Grrrr. See the real Bill come alive! 🙂 Your last paragraph speaks volumes floyd.

  6. Great reminder here, Bill. More certainly doesn’t equal better and neither does less. It’s incredible how in God, you can be content with where you are and still desire more. Somehow in other areas, these would war against each other, but in God, we can take joy in where we are and look ahead to His greater purpose revealed in and through us. Thank you, Bill!

    • cycleguy says:

      Contentment is the place to find ourselves. IT is also the place we often most find ourselves (inner peace). I want His greater purpose.

  7. tcavey says:

    When I first started to blog I was concerned with having MORE followers. Thankfully God has helped me realize that more is not always best.
    I’ve come to realize I don’t want anything that is not from Him. It might look good, but that doesn’t mean it’s good for me.
    God has graciously allowed me to speak into some lives via blogging. Numbers don’t matter, lives do.
    I’m so blessed by each person who visits my blog. I learn and gain way more from them than they probably ever get from me.

    • cycleguy says:

      I miss you blogging more often TC. Seriously. I know, though, you have family obligations. Make them take a back seat. LOL I am blessed as well by others, like you, who visit. Thanks.

  8. David says:

    You know, I can’t say that I want more stuff, I’m tired of the stuff. We’ve lived in the house we’re in for about 14 years and the stuff keeps multiplying,I can’t believe how many times I’ve had to empty my garage! 🙂 (I think the stuff is making baby stuff). I finally actually got to put a car in my garage just last year. I’m definitely learning that more is not necessarily better. I am seeking to find more contentment in, and with, Him. Like you said, we can’t take the stuff with us anyway …

  9. Jan Frame says:

    I can honestly say that I’m quite content. My “saying” has always been, more is less. 🙂 Good post Bill.