Is it ever possible to have too much of a good thing? In 1995, Daryle Singletary released his hit song, Too Much Fun, which he says he never had. While it’s hard to conceive of such a scenario, excesses of even good things can sometimes be detrimental.
In 1858, Australia had no rabbits and British settlers missed their meat and the sport of acquiring it. To solve these supposed problems, Thomas Austin released twenty-four rabbits on his property the following year. Unintentionally, he and some others unleased one the largest ecological disasters in history.
The Land Down Under had no natural predators to control the rabbit population and its mild winters enabled the critters to breed year round. Since females reach maturity as early as six months and can thereafter have 2-3 litters of up to 14 kits annually, the population quickly mushroomed out of control.
Just seven years later in 1866, hunters bagged over 14,000 rabbits on Austin’s property alone which is an increase of over 58,000 percent! By 1910, these hoppers had spread throughout the continent covering even the 2500 miles west to Australia’s coast.
The rabbits denuded native vegetation creating serious biodiversity issues and deprived Australia’s native herbivores of their preferred plants. In addition, the bare soil eroded more easily and created enormous agricultural challenges.
Finally, in the 1950s, a rabbit virus was released which led to major reductions in numbers and allowed some native species to begin to recover. If only they could recapture those original bunnies and put the genie back in the bottle. I think that in retrospect, Mr. Austin would certainly agree that his innocent but foolish deed led to too much of a good thing.
So too we can have too much of a good thing in our lives. Unrestrained alcohol use leads to alcoholism. Unlimited leisure time often fosters laziness. Too much mint chocolate chip leads to obesity and too much bacon wrapped bacon causes heart disease.
Even excesses of money can spell permanent problems if restraint and control are not employed. Many lotto jackpot winners end up destroying their own lives as well as those of their families and friends as they suddenly come into their seemingly inexhaustible cash. Many famous actors, musicians, and athletes also implode due to their failure to manage their sudden wealth wisely.
One of my childhood heroes from the 1970s, Evil Knievel, illustrates this so well. While amassing large amounts of cash through his daredevil motorcycle stunts which soared to record breaking heights every month, his marriage and personal life sank to unspeakable depths. While many can handle poverty, few can manage limitless wealth and influence.
Our inability to control our baser instincts is one reason God doesn’t bless us all with enormous supplies. He knows that we can’t handle them well and that given the opportunity, we often ruin ourselves, our families, and others around us. Though we seldom do so, it’s wise to thank God for what He hasn’t blessed us with.
In Proverbs 30:8, the wise sage Agur wrote, “Give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread.” Paul adds in 1 Timothy 6:8, “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” Although these passages seldom elicit hearty “Amens,” their simple truths endure.
We must be ever vigilant of envying those whose wealth, talent, or opportunities exceed our own. While there’s no sin in enlarging our holdings and abilities honestly, we can easily outstrip our ability to utilize our resources wisely.
Although Singletary’s song is amusing and fun, may Austin’s Australian rabbit boom and the many problems it created teach us to avoid too much of even good things.
Blessings, George