Written by Dynamis Ministries | July 18, 2024
Technically speaking, an icebreaker is a type of ship that’s designed to break through the frozen sea to create channels for other vessels to travel across. However, we’re all familiar with icebreakers as a game we play to relieve tension when we are trying to get to know new people. One such game we’re all probably familiar with is “Would You Rather.” This game doesn’t need much explanation so let’s just play a few rounds together:
Would you rather live in the country or the city?
Would you rather eat sweet foods or salty foods?
Would you rather have the superpower of flight or invisibility?
It can be a pretty fun game to get into, right!? Now here’s one that cuts a little deeper:
Would you rather be rich or wealthy?
This question may prompt you to pause and think because at first pass these words appear interchangeable, but there are actually some fundamental differences between the two. The word wealth comes from the English word weal which means “in a state of well-being, welfare, good fortune, happiness.” In other words, it’s a much broader concept of well-being. It’s why we can describe people as having a “wealth of knowledge” or “wealth of experience.” Meanwhile, the word rich has a much narrower definition to apply strictly to things and possessions.
Distinguishing between the two may seem like splitting hairs, but it has some significant implications for us, especially when it comes to our generosity. When our focus is solely on our riches, it’s easy to fall into a scarcity mindset or become greedy. We may only think about generosity in terms of the things we have and this can limit our capacity to give, like when we are living in times of lack. And truth be told, many of us today are feeling the squeeze of inflation, growing cost of living and high interest rates. It’s no wonder that regardless of how “rich” we may be, we all still feel like we don’t have enough!
But, on the other hand, when we view things from a wealth perspective our posture and outlook tend to shift to a more abundant mindset. The more we realize we have, the more we have available to give. For example, some of us have a wealth of social connections that can invite more people into generosity expressions. Others have a wealth of skills or talents that can be used for generosity. Still, others may have a wealth of energy to be gracious hosts to others or to serve in deep ways at church or other ministries. Perhaps you may be able to begin seeing some of the ways you are wealthy right now?
The great thing about having wealth is that it can show up in times of lack. Sometimes some of the wealthiest people are those who have the fewest possessions! They may not have money or things, but they experience overwhelming well-being because they are filled with deep relationships, a strong sense of purpose, and joy in community. How can you not be generous when you are living out of that kind of abundance!?
So, as we go about our day let’s ponder this question again.
Would you rather be rich or wealthy?
