Jesus had just finished dealing with a young man who
was jealous because his brother was getting two-thirds of their father’s estate
and he was only getting one-third. This jealous young man wanted Jesus to
preside over his case and resolve the matter. He wanted half. He wanted a
secure future. He wanted Jesus to turn the tables of Jewish custom in his
favor. Jesus said, “I am not your lawyer young man but I will give you a piece
of advice: “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed.”
Now to us it seems fair that this young man should
receive half but Jesus doesn’t see it that way. He turns to this fellow and
tells him a parable about a rich man who had a great crop and stored it all for
himself but that night his soul was required of him. On the very night he got
his barns built and secured his future he died. He never ate a single grain of
corn. It is better, Jesus concludes to be rich toward God. Jesus then turns
away from this young man to address his disciples and he says, “This fellow is
worried about his life and how it will all turn out. I don’t want you to worry
about your life. I don’t want you to worry about what you will eat. I don’t
worry about what you are going to drink and I don’t want you to worry about
what you are going to wear. Consider the ravens and the lilies, he said. Doesn’t
God take care of these, how much more valuable are you?”
Most of our life we spend worrying about our
security. But what would happen to those insecurities if we suddenly sold
everything we owned and gave it to the poor? I am convinced that we would view
life from the perspective of needs of others and we would come to depend on God
for our most basic daily necessities. Now I don’t think God is asking you to
sell everything you have and give it to the poor. We remember Zacchaeus for his
small stature and his climbing the Sycamore Tree. Few of us remember him for
the tall stature of his attitude and what happened in his home. Out of the
blue, during the meal, he says to Jesus, I will sell half of everything I own
give it to the poor, and if I have wronged anyone I will pay them back
fourfold. Do you remember Jesus’ response? He did not say, no, you must sell
everything Zacchaeus. He said “No greater faith exits in all of Israel.”
We are to get ready for the unexpected by getting rid of our fears. Now, don’t think for a moment that Jesus has some Pollyanna view of the world here. He knows just as well as any of us that plenty is wrong with the world and much of it isn’t ever going to get better. He is not suggesting that Christians will be immune to suffering. Rather, he is asking his followers to adopt a way of life that is not rooted in the securities of this world. There is a standard but it is not selling everything you have. Here is the standard: How much time do you spend worrying about storing up treasures on earth and how much time do you spend storing up treasures in heaven? If the scales are tilting toward heaven then I believe you are meeting Jesus’ standard.
Money quickly traps us and cuts us off from both God
and the needy. The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for
God’s purposes, not how much we can accumulate for ourselves. Does God’s love
touch your wallet? Does your money free you to help others? If your financial
goals and possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving others, or
serving God, sell what you must to bring your life into perspective.
Go with God,
Pastor Qualley
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