"So you cannot be my disciples without giving up everything you own." (Luke 13:35 NIV)
We read this scripture out of context and presume it’s about the rich young ruler. It’s not. This alarming statement is nestled in a portion of the gospels entitled ‘the cost of being a disciple’. And Jesus Himself was speaking; there is a price to following Christ and we often suffer from sticker shock. He expects everything.
This verse first came under my scrutiny last February. We were ‘talking’ with a church and considering relocation. We quickly realized all we could afford in that zip code was a one bedroom and just barely in 2023’s economy. We discussed it at length – determining we would need to sell anything that couldn’t fit in a one bedroom apartment space: scooters, bikes, grill, our Christmas tree and every last item in the garage. We wrestled with it until I came across this precise text in Luke. Then it was obvious, at least for us. Stuff that stands in the way of obeying Christ isn’t a blessing but an obstacle to be removed.
That was more than six months ago. That particular church conversation fell apart, but the idea was planted. Now we have agreed to come alongside another pastor for a year and it will require a stint in an apartment. It’s not an issue. We’ve listed our extras on FB Marketplace and today we hosted a huge moving sale. God prepared us for the possibility of apartment dwelling months ago, now we are just going through the motions as our hearts are set on Him.
Please hear me: I’m not suggesting that every believer take a vow of poverty. I am suggesting that any possession that stands in the way of our sold-out obedience needs to go. Jesus asks for everything. What can we release today in order to better obey?
"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do no break in. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matthew 6:19-21 NIV)
Lord, we long to live obedient. Please help us identify the things that stand in the way of our total surrender. Give us the guts to open our hand when You invite us deeper into Your story. Show us how to store up treasure in heaven rather than here on earth. Amen.