The Economy of Scarcity Versus Abundance

Favoritism thrives in scarcity consciousness. When we believe there's only so much love, attention, and belonging to distribute, we must choose carefully—investing in those who will return the most, who are most like us, who are most likely to succeed. This scarcity mindset justifies every act of favoritism: we're simply being realistic about limited resources. Rabia taught from a perspective of infinite divine love—a love that doesn't diminish when shared, that isn't exhausted by generosity, that multiplies through distribution. From this abundance perspective, favoritism appears as a cruel delusion. We're hoarding what's inexhaustible and impoverishing everyone in the process. The cost of scarcity thinking is immense: it generates anxiety, competition, and the constant calculation of value and worthiness. It teaches children that love must be earned through comparison and performance. When we shift to an abundance paradigm, we discover that loving more people doesn't diminish love for anyone. In fact, as Rabia's community learned, the capacity for belonging deepens when we practice it equally. This shift from economy of scarcity to economy of abundance is the fundamental reorientation favoritism requires.