Excessive Grace

Can you have too much of a good thing? Not when it comes to God’s mercy.

We Americans are drawn to excess. Most of us eat more than we need, and we throw away a lot of edible food — 92 billion pounds per year, to be exact. That’s the equivalent of 145 billion meals.

We also tend to buy more clothing than we require. Poorly made items and the latest fashion trends lead to clothing piling up in landfills — about 81 pounds per person per year.

We like to drive large vehicles. In recent decades, cars have gotten bigger and heavier, which can impact safety and fuel economy.

And we like to drink. Many Americans drink more alcohol than is recommended for a healthy life. Did you hear the one about the man whose doctor asked if he drank to excess? The man answered, “I’ll drink to anything.”

Sometimes it seems like we are living in the United States of Excess.

No matter what we have, many of us want more. “From a nicer car to a bigger house to a new water bottle or wardrobe,” writes Lexie Woolums of the University ...