He is a God of abundance, extravagance and excess
I’ve been blessed with an amazing father and hold countless beautiful childhood memories. But even so, I recognise that my dad wasn’t perfect, and some of his lesser habits still influence the way I perceive God.
For example, my dad hates wasting money (rightly so). He is very careful and avoids unnecessary expenses at all costs (pun intended 😉).
I remember one time I was rushing out and, in my hurry, backed the car into something and damaged it. I went back inside the house, fully dreading his response to the cost of repairing these damages caused by my carelessness. Expecting serious disappointment at the very least or, more likely, a well-deserved scolding.
However, to my shock, he simply said, “It’s okay, Jen. Just go and be more careful.” In utter disbelief, I asked him why he wasn’t more upset. He smiled and said, “I went to a prayer conference recently, and God spoke to me to be less uptight. I am practicing that right now”. I was stunned—what timing!
I caught a glimpse of God’s generous grace that day!
Frugality, or being a careful spender, is a quality many dads possess, for better or worse. And if you grew up in poverty or a low-income home, your dad probably didn’t have any other choice but to count every rupee. However, when dads take frugality too far, they become stingy fathers.
But that doesn’t change the fact that growing up with a scarcity mindset may have crippled your concept of God’s generosity. God is not a God of barely enough or less than enough. He is not stingy, possessive or materialistic. No, He is a God of abundance, extravagance and excess.
He manifests His generosity through more important gifts than just material goods. He freely gives us the priceless intangibles of forgiveness, mercy, love and eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16
friend, if a stingy father left a mark on your life, you’re not alone. Acknowledge it, forgive your earthly dad and go on to step boldly into the loving arms of your Heavenly Father.
