Matthew 19:16-26 The Rich and the Kingdom of God
16 Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” 17 “Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.” 18 “Which ones?” he inquired. Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, 19 honor your father and mother,’[a] and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” 25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” 26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
I used to be very much defined by “my things” what was in my closet, what I drove, and the name brand that was on my back. I put entirely too much emphasis on labels and what people thought of me based on my belongings. My identity was in my possessions.
When I read the above passage of scripture it put my stomach in knots.
I knew saying yes to the World Race meant I was going to have to give up some things.
Figuratively & literally. I felt strongly the Lord wanted me to sell my belongings, and give up all the comforts I’d ever known. Surely he didn’t mean Literally… He did. 1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Reading this shakes me to my core. How am I supposed to live in this world, and not love things of this world? Cars, money, food, clothes, phones, luxurious resorts, and all inclusive vacations???
People sometimes ask me ” what about your stuff?” “what about your car?” “what about your house?” (refer to the above passage) SELL YOUR POSSESIONS AND FOLLOW ME. When I explain this passage and what it means to me, they often look at me like I have 3 heads. They say aren’t you taking this kind of serious? Well, he kind of took it seriously when he died on a cross for me, so I think I owe him this much.
Is it easy? absolutely not. I cry myself to sleep most nights, at the thought of the unknown, questioning myself “is this REALLY what I’m about to do?” I cant explain the things the Lord has put so strongly on my heart, but I do know this is exactly what I’m supposed to do. God does not call us to comfort. We’re not defined by our stuff, or the labels people give us. Our identity is in Christ and Christ alone. Matthew 6:19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.
We as Americans put so much value on things we own, and Why? When we die we cant take it with us anyway. One day well be taken from this world, and cant take a thing with us. Then why are we so possessive over “our stuff?” Jesus didn’t carry anything with him. He traveled by boat and by foot with the clothes on his back. He didn’t have a fancy whip, expensive clothes, or a mansion. People didn’t follow him because he had great looks or high social status, because he had a lot of instagram followers, and lived in an upscale neighborhood. Jesus was a carpenter and a teacher, he loved people as they were. He spent time with them, invested in them, and shared with them the love of the father. He cared about people not “stuff”
The other night I received a harsh reality check. I had to pack up my whole house into boxes to be sold. Things I had bought and saved over time, things I used, things I loved. Then I had to fit a years worth of clothes and toiletries into a backpack. I had been putting off this process for quite some time. The thought of giving up things I held so dear to me broke my heart. Willingly volunteering to live out of a backpack, and sleep in the wilderness for a year was not how I pictured my life to be. I had accumulated quite a large amount of things to stow away in my pack; and as I sat in a puddle of tears with a pile of junk I quickly realized… I cant fit 5 pairs of shoes, 20 outfits, toiletries, a tent, a sleeping pad, a sleeping bag, annnd a pillow in a 70 liter backpack. I threw the heaping pile of stuff on the floor and cried myself to sleep. “what am I going to do now?” It wasn’t until the next morning in my quiet time with Jesus I realized this was much bigger than “stuff.” This was much bigger than matching outfits and somehow looking cute on this trip. Much bigger than what I will be wearing or where I will sleep. This trip is about HIM and bringing his love to the nations. They don’t care what I’m wearing, or what I gave up to get to them. God doesn’t care either. Being a Christian means sacrifice. No one wants to give up things they love.
But think about the people of the nations. They aren’t lavished with luxurious things, they don’t drive fancy cars, or have smart phones, they don’t have a huge wardrobe selection, or 87,000 possible drink combinations at starbucks. They sleep on dirt floors, they don’t have running water, and they don’t get much food to eat (if they eat). They bathe in rivers, work in fields, and usually walk barefoot most of the places they go. They have NOTHING and are so incredibly humble and grateful. We…WE have the world at our fingertips, and we are selfish, ungrateful, needy, whiney, spoiled Americans.
A verse I love quickly came to mind: John 3:30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” This whole process is about more of him and less of me. I think about all the things I am “losing” so to speak. But what about HIM what did he lose, he lost his life. For me. and for YOU. In the grand scheme of things I am not really losing anything. Actually I am gaining. Gaining a more intimate relationship with our heavenly father, a new perspective not defiled by earthly distractions, a fresh start, a clean slate. Giving up “stuff” means I’m making more room in my heart for the one thing that matters most. JESUS.
Mark 8:36 What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet lose their soul? I challenge you, to step back and take a good look at yourself, examine your heart, your stuff, where you spend your time and how you spend your money. What lies on the throne of your heart? Is it worth giving up? The way I see it…
You have nothing to lose, and everything to gain.
