Enough

I remember the old Popeye the Sailor Man cartoon character getting fed up with the abuse of one bad character or another (usually Brutus) and decrying, "Enough is enough and enough is too much!"  Sometimes that is precisely the case where one has had enough of something to reach the "I can't or will not take this anymore!" state of being.

However, generally speaking, enough, is the state of being adequate in which one has enough food to eat or enough gas to make it home or enough money to make it through until next payday.  Enough generally meets the required need sufficient for the cause.

To go beyond enough can bring us into abundance and that can be a wonderful thing.  Having enough money to make it to payday is a good thing.  Having additional money to put aside for a rainy day is even better.  Having enough food to feed your family is wonderful.  Having enough food to share with others is more than welcome.

On the other hand, going beyond enough can reach a point of diminishing returns or even disastrous outcomes.  Eating enough food to satisfy hunger is a good thing.  Eating beyond enough that amount can lead to discomfort, weight gain and even a disease like diabetes.

The point is having an awareness when enough has been has been provided and stopping before one has had enough.  Yesterday, I was talking to a young couple trying to come to terms with a terminal diagnosis.  At one point, the wife said, "Thank you so much for saying that.  It has really helped me." Hearing those words and seeing that her husband was beginning to look very tired, I replied, "And there is where I will leave it for today."  I wrapped our time up with prayer and she walked me to the door again expressing how much she appreciated my visit.

I had more stuff to share with them but to have done so would have risked moving them getting from having enough to having had enough.  There is a big difference.  In Luke 22:36, contrary to what many might believe, Jesus insisted that his disciples arm themselves for self-defense as he sent them out.  When he told them to make sure they had a sword, "The disciples said, 'See, Lord, here are two swords.' 'That's enough!' he replied" (vs. 38).

Their two swords was enough to provide an acceptable level of self-defense.  For them to have carried more could have marked them as armed for a rebellion caused people to suspect them being up to no good.  Enough discipline provides needed training in a child's life but to go beyond enough can cross the threshold of abuse.  Enough is enough but having had enough is too much.

Well, have you had enough of this blog or did I give you enough to help?  I think I must stop here and allow you to reflect on that very notion.  I hope you always have enough but seldom reach the point of having had enough.  'Nuf Said."