After listening to Jesus teach and catching a huge load of fish with his advice, Simon Peter, James, and John "left everything and followed him" (5:11). They know there's something special about Jesus -- he had healed Simon's mother-in-law with a word (4:38-39) -- and so they leave behind everything -- their jobs, their homes, their families -- to become his disciples.They've only just met this guy, yet they commit themselves wholly to him. How much more ought we -- who have the benefit of seeing the whole picture, so to speak, of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection -- be willing to commit ourselves to him in such a radical way?
Over and over in the Gospel of Luke is emphasized the theme of forsaking all earthly possessions: Jesus tells his disciples, "Sell your possessions, and give to the needy" (12:33); he tells great crowds, "any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple" (14:33); and he tells a righteous ruler, "One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor" (18:22).
This is a radical call, and it's always been a challenge to me. People say that Jesus is really calling us to not be too attached to our possessions and to be willing to part with them if necessary. They're probably right. But when I read Jesus' words, they seem pretty straightforward and uncompromising. Any thoughts?
(Image: Pieter van Edingen Aelst, "The Miraculous Draught of Fishes," c. 1519)
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Everyone wishes they were better off. It's hard to know what's 'enough.' When the choice is between work or family, we opt for family. It has made things tough financially at times, but we still have a roof over our heads, and we're not starving. We may not take the big trips or have the new cars, but we're a very happy family. And we have other family that will help us when things are really tough.
ReplyDeleteIf my family was safe, and the house burned down, I would miss my pictures. That's pretty much it.
If you scan and post your pictures, they'll be safe!
ReplyDeletehi k :) this is cool what you are doing. hope you're well. i'll check in from time to time :)
ReplyDelete- crys
So I'm here and I'm reading it - I'll make some actual comments when I'm not sick any more :)
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ReplyDeleteKevin, I'm really enjoying your blog, keep it up.
ReplyDeleteWhat struck me the other day (chapter 3) was Jesus’ replies to the crowds, tax collectors, and soldiers. He didn't tell them to sell all and give everything to the poor (and basically become poor themselves), but to share what they had and to not take more than what is rightfully theirs. What struck me the most though was the last thing He told the soldiers: "be satisfied with your wages". I am not sure if this was intended to be applied to all humans throughout all-time, but it sure seems to speak to today’s (selfish) mindset of “climbing the corporate ladder”; the verse also doesn’t quite gel with a radical view of extinguishing all of your possessions. What seems to reconcile all these verses is what you pointed out, that we should not be too attached to our possessions -or at least we ought not be more attached to our possessions than we are to God and neighbor.
All this reminds me of two quotes, I forget by whom is the first: “you don’t really own your possessions, they own you.” And from Notorious B.I.G.: “mo money, mo problems”.
Hm, how to balance giving and providing? Paul in 1 Timothy 5.8 says that he who does not provide for his own family is worse than an unbeliever. In the same chapter, verses 4 and 16 declare that the children and grandchildren of widows should support them.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention the verses that balance carrying our own weight and helping others. Paul in Galatians 6.2 says we are to carry each other's burdens; in Galatians 6.5 he says we should carry our own burdens.
So I do think, as Kevin says, that Christ calls us to radical generosity. But there is a base limit that we must meet—a personal responsibility for our family—before we can embark upon that radical generosity. Note: this "before" is a "before" of priority and NOT of time! We shouldn't wait to be generous!
-C-
Thanks, Eric and Chris, for the insights and references. I thought also of what Pope Leo XIII wrote in his encyclical "Rerum Novarum" in 1891:
ReplyDelete"True, no one is commanded to distribute to others that which is required for his own needs and those of his household; nor even to give away what is reasonably required to keep up becomingly his condition in life, 'for no one ought to live other than becomingly.' But, when what necessity demands has been supplied, and one's standing fairly taken thought for, it becomes a duty to give to the indigent out of what remains over."
In practice, it's finding that balance and determining what are true necessities that is so difficult, especially given our tendency toward greed and rationalization. Anyone have any practical advice?