The market that doesn't crash
This week's verses are on Luke 12:29-34:
So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. For all the nations of the world pursue these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, pursue his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out—a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Continuing with the charity theme, a lot of our stinginess stems from our view of the world. If people were focused on the physical "here and now" in Biblical times, they are twice as focused on it in our modern "post-Christian" world. We worry about the money in our budget, the food we eat, and the endless doom-saying of the doctors, and our consideration of the future stops there. But what if there was more?
Imagine that reality had another dimension to it that we've forgotten how to see. If death was not the end, and what we could physically see and measure in our world were not the limits of what there is, how might our priorities change? Is there a better way to approach life than what we've been trying?
Jesus tells us that we will have the things we need, if we focus on the eternal reach of our existence. There are spiritual aspects to the reality we live in. He's telling us "look, you're not just here to eat and drink and wait for the hearse." We're here to learn. We're learning who we are, and who God is, and how to love in an unbeatable way. What diet plan or clothing fad will teach you that? Those are things you learn by seeking God and practicing all you can.
Jesus tells us that God the Father knows we need certain things to live. He designed us, actually, so maybe there's things we need that even we ourselves don't know, things we need him to show us. He's not a God who needs to have nutrition explained to him. He knows our needs.
He says not to be afraid to really seek him, because he will accept us. He is very pleased to welcome us. So in that sense, it's not a bad investment of time. Instead of being caught up in the day to day scramble to make things work, try spending some time learning about God's character, seeing your limits, and loving people the best way you know how.
He talks about selling your possessions and giving to the poor. That seems crazy, but that's kind of the point. It seems crazy because we are only trying to navigate around the part of the iceberg we can see. Who among us easily warms up to the idea of not having any money, no social safety net, maybe not a roof over your head? But there are people in that situation already. They're called "the poor."
If we really loved the poor in the sort of inside-out way that Jesus loved us, we would pour out everything we had to help relieve their suffering, deserved or not. His words take the temperature of our souls and tell us if our hearts are healthy. Would you do the crazy thing he asked? If you saw the whole picture through the eyes of God, would you dare not do it? The thought of doing something like that scares me to death. I hear his challenge and I know I am not healthy enough still.
When we consider our physical reality, we don't take into account that things happen outside of our control. Wallets get stolen. Relationships fail. Fitness freaks get injured or become chronically ill. New technology makes your lifelong career obsolete. The stock market crashes. War and disease trash the social nest you spent your whole adult life building. Food spoils. Milk turns.
Jesus tells us that our treasure in heaven doesn't decrease in value. This forgotten realm of our existence is a safe place to invest in. It is the only safe place. The question about selling our possessions and giving to the poor reveals to us exactly where our treasure is kept. We keep it here, where it's going to get pirated away by any number of unpredictable things. His words tell us that he knows where it is, and it's in the wrong spot.
Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. Our hearts are not set on his kingdom. We aren't seeking him the way we would seek a 401(K) or a blue chip stock. We aren't concerned about our spiritual health the way we are about our physical health. Our hearts and souls are tied up in bad investments that could fail at any time. We need to diversify, and we can, any time we're ready.
Is there any charity in your heart? Is there found in you a spark of the love God has for us? Give something up to soothe the suffering of someone who has an unmet need. You may have less time or less money as a result, but by investing in the unmeasureable part of our world, you may find that you finally have something of value that can't be taken away.
So do not be overly concerned about what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not worry about such things. For all the nations of the world pursue these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, pursue his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is well pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves purses that do not wear out—a treasure in heaven that never decreases, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Continuing with the charity theme, a lot of our stinginess stems from our view of the world. If people were focused on the physical "here and now" in Biblical times, they are twice as focused on it in our modern "post-Christian" world. We worry about the money in our budget, the food we eat, and the endless doom-saying of the doctors, and our consideration of the future stops there. But what if there was more?
Imagine that reality had another dimension to it that we've forgotten how to see. If death was not the end, and what we could physically see and measure in our world were not the limits of what there is, how might our priorities change? Is there a better way to approach life than what we've been trying?
Jesus tells us that we will have the things we need, if we focus on the eternal reach of our existence. There are spiritual aspects to the reality we live in. He's telling us "look, you're not just here to eat and drink and wait for the hearse." We're here to learn. We're learning who we are, and who God is, and how to love in an unbeatable way. What diet plan or clothing fad will teach you that? Those are things you learn by seeking God and practicing all you can.
Jesus tells us that God the Father knows we need certain things to live. He designed us, actually, so maybe there's things we need that even we ourselves don't know, things we need him to show us. He's not a God who needs to have nutrition explained to him. He knows our needs.
He says not to be afraid to really seek him, because he will accept us. He is very pleased to welcome us. So in that sense, it's not a bad investment of time. Instead of being caught up in the day to day scramble to make things work, try spending some time learning about God's character, seeing your limits, and loving people the best way you know how.
He talks about selling your possessions and giving to the poor. That seems crazy, but that's kind of the point. It seems crazy because we are only trying to navigate around the part of the iceberg we can see. Who among us easily warms up to the idea of not having any money, no social safety net, maybe not a roof over your head? But there are people in that situation already. They're called "the poor."
If we really loved the poor in the sort of inside-out way that Jesus loved us, we would pour out everything we had to help relieve their suffering, deserved or not. His words take the temperature of our souls and tell us if our hearts are healthy. Would you do the crazy thing he asked? If you saw the whole picture through the eyes of God, would you dare not do it? The thought of doing something like that scares me to death. I hear his challenge and I know I am not healthy enough still.
When we consider our physical reality, we don't take into account that things happen outside of our control. Wallets get stolen. Relationships fail. Fitness freaks get injured or become chronically ill. New technology makes your lifelong career obsolete. The stock market crashes. War and disease trash the social nest you spent your whole adult life building. Food spoils. Milk turns.
Jesus tells us that our treasure in heaven doesn't decrease in value. This forgotten realm of our existence is a safe place to invest in. It is the only safe place. The question about selling our possessions and giving to the poor reveals to us exactly where our treasure is kept. We keep it here, where it's going to get pirated away by any number of unpredictable things. His words tell us that he knows where it is, and it's in the wrong spot.
Where your treasure is, there your heart is also. Our hearts are not set on his kingdom. We aren't seeking him the way we would seek a 401(K) or a blue chip stock. We aren't concerned about our spiritual health the way we are about our physical health. Our hearts and souls are tied up in bad investments that could fail at any time. We need to diversify, and we can, any time we're ready.
Is there any charity in your heart? Is there found in you a spark of the love God has for us? Give something up to soothe the suffering of someone who has an unmet need. You may have less time or less money as a result, but by investing in the unmeasureable part of our world, you may find that you finally have something of value that can't be taken away.
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