Sell your possessions and give to the poor.
Sometimes the Teacher says something that shocks us. We don’t quite know what to do with it.
We appreciate when He talks about giving His life for us. We readily accept His words about coming to save us. We don’t wince when He talks about treating others as we would want to be treated!
And then He says something seemingly outrageous like this - Sell your possessions and give to the poor!
Suddenly we don’t quite know what to think. Is He as serious about these kinds of radical statements as He is about the ones that seem more reasonable to us?
The answer is yes. The statement here is as brilliant and wonderful as all the rest of what He says to us. Then what is to be our response as students of the Teacher?
It is helpful to keep in mind that Jesus speaks in absolutes. He is setting the bar as high as heaven itself. He is revealing the kind of life that brings the greatest blessings.
We may not have the faith to fully trust Him. Perhaps that’s understandable and where grace becomes more precious to us. But what is not right is to rationalize away the great truths simply because we lack the ability to follow them fully.
It is still the truth, nonetheless. The Teacher is talking about the greatest, highest, most noble kind of life. It’s Heaven’s Truth. Now it’s up to each student to recognize it, wrestle with it, move toward it!
Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
exactly. we do lack the ability to follow these truths and that is another thing that becomes more apparent to us... if we look to God and open our hearts to his will and his desires for us, then we can accomplish these things through Him. The ability is in him. His love enpowers us to follow his commands and live a life for him. He gives us love, he gives us strength, and he gives us ability. Praise him
ReplyDeleteVery challenging. We often look at the rich young man that went away sad at similar instructions and wonder if he ever did. How sad to be that close and not follow Jesus. How many blessings in his life did he miss because he was caught up with his wealth.
ReplyDeleteJesus tells us to do the same thing.
Sell what we have to give to the poor.
Similar questions to thoughts earlier in the week pop up.
Who are the poor?
How do we balance taking care of our own family with being benevolent?
Biblically speaking, if a man doesn't work he shouldn't eat.
But do we use that as an excuse to not support the poor?
What about the orphans and widows? Could we really go wrong there?
Most of us though, give out of an abundance.
Have we ever really sold something to give to the poor?
Reading in Acts 2, 4, and 5 it seems the early disciples took this seriously.
I really like the line Denny typed:
Recognize, wrestle, and move.