Abundance Mindset and Lead Insecurity

Salesmen in personal development circles will often talk about having an “Abundance Mindset”. In any network group, you will hear someone discussing the importance of shifting their mindset to recognize the abundance available, regardless of market fluctuations and changes. While I don’t wish to stifle the entrepreneurial spirit of a young entrepreneur, I do want to challenge our underlying assumptions about lead generation and work.

Here is my question: is it morally correct to assume abundance without first regarding the one from whom abundance flows?

When we focus on lead generation – a common topic for those who are building their businesses and want to feel like we are in control – we want to feel like we can seize the day and win the prize in a risky profession. Yet we have to contend with the fact that Christians cannot serve two masters. Money is talked about so much in the scriptures as a spiritual health indicator. Do we identify with our money and want to call ourselves rich? Or do we see ourselves as stewards of the wealth that is temporarily ours? If we can see ourselves as stewards of what God has graciously given us, our work mindset will fall into place.

For example, the Bible says that Abraham was “very rich in livestock, in silver and in gold” (Gen. 13:2-3). But after that, he gave ten percent of his wealth to Melchizedek, a priest of the living God. This shows that his identity was not in his wealth (Gen. 14:18-20).

Abraham understood that his wealth was contingent on one person: God. In fact, Abraham was even ready to pass on potential wealth because he knew where his wealth came from. It is not something given to us by man, but it is given by the one who holds all things together.

“And the king of Sodom said to Abram, ‘Give the people to me, but take the possessions for yourself.’ Then Abram said to the king of Sodom, ‘I have raised my hand to Yahweh God Most High, possessor of heaven and earth, that I will not take a thread or a sandal strap or anything that is yours, so that you would not say, ‘I have made Abram rich.’ I will take nothing except what the young men have eaten, and the share of the men who went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their share’” (Gen. 14:21-24).

This is not to say that we should turn down wealth or payment for righteous work. However, it does show that we should have a loose grip on our wealth. Christians shouldn’t go out into the world and have a generic abundance mindset. They should realize that God is the one who owns the cattle on a thousand hills and that we should first humbly pray for provision. We can then enter the world confident that God is watching over his people.

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