Before I was even accepted to the World Race, I began looking at the things in my life, my possessions. My computer, my tv and my car were three of the first things I decided to get rid of. My MacBook wouldn’t have been added to that list quite so easily but God intervened in the most delightfully undelightful way.. He crashed it. When applying I thought, I can’t give my Mac up! It has all of my stuff on it…music, pictures, everything. So what did God do? He took my three year old MacBook Pro and He crashed it. It is an easy fix for the computer doctor, but I will lose everything on it unless I shell out more cash. So, I am having it fixed, wiped and selling it (Touché Lord…Touche). Next came my car. Now the car happened completely different. I love my car, it fits my personality, but I knew right away I had to sell it. See, it’s only a year old and I am still paying notes on it. Selling it is the best option. But then my dad (being the kindest, most loving dad I know) gave me an alternative. He told me if I couldn’t sell it, he would take up the notes on it while I was gone. Instantly my mind began reeling, and thoughts like: “I don’t have to sell my car!” , “I can keep it for when I get back!”, “I love this car!”, became more prevalent than: “It is wiser to sell it”, “it’s unfair to ask him to take that note for so long”, “it’s what God is asking me to do”… Which was bad enough, but then as I was driving home from work I found myself thinking, “they will need to drive it once a week to keep the battery up”, “they can’t drive it too much because more miles will be added”, “what if it gets wrecked?”. Dad gave me the most generous offer and I was sitting there complaining and worrying in my mind about what might happen to my car. More worried about that than what God wanted me to do or than if my dad would really be okay financially taking up my car notes.. Not only was I immediately ashamed of myself, but the scripture Matthew 19: 21-24 about the young rich man instantly popped into my head,
21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
My treasure isn’t my car. It’s just a belonging. A convenient belonging that I enjoy, but something my soul could live without. God wants me to sell my car when I leave. He told me so before I was accepted, that is why it was so easy to come to terms with it at first. And then the enemy used a kind gesture to put thoughts of greediness and even a little idolatry into my head. It wasn’t until I was driving, thinking on all the things that might go wrong with my car that I realized this was happening. I don’t want to be like the young rich man, wanting to hold on to worldly possessions instead of seeking my true treasure in Heaven. That car might last me ten years, but the goodness of God is forever. So, I will put a for sale sign on it and if it is in fact Gods will that I get rid of it, someone will buy it for the amount left on it. If not, I still have the alternative of my Dad keeping it while I am away, but I will not choose to do that without putting forth the effort to sell it first. I will lay down my worldly possessions and follow Jesus. Not hang my head in sorrow at the thought of selling my things, car included. What is more important than going to do what the Lord has asked me to do? Nothing…especially not a laptop or car. How silly of me to forget that for moment.
Note: I am not suggesting we all go out and sell our cars and houses to go around the world telling everyone about Jesus. While it is a Christians calling to tell others about Christ; going on foreign missions may not be, your belongings may be paid for and so those items may not be weights of debt holding you back from Gods work, or you may have another reason why this isn’t for you! That is okay! My calling is not your calling and yours is not mine. 🙂 God has given us each a path. You can do other things to support missions than go.. Like donating, taking on with a local mission, or making a conscious effort to pray diligently for those in the field.
