Jesus didn’t beat around the bush when it came to declaring His expectations for the believer’s faith.
“In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples” (Luke 14:33).
Wow.
Talk about a wake-up call….
Chances are that you and I haven’t given up everything in the sense of our becoming paupers. But is that what Jesus is really asking for here?
Is He calling us to a life without possessions, a life without a career “position?”
It’s important to see this verse within the context of preceding verses.
Jesus uses the illustration of two kings facing a potential war. The king with the smaller army is to determine his likelihood of victory. If a logical analysis points to a probable defeat, then he needs to make whatever compromise he can with the other king before the battle begins.
The reason? Losing some things in conciliation before the battle is better than losing everything in the battle that follows if there is no conciliation.
Jesus’ point was this, I believe.
Whatever the stronger king — who has never lost — requires of your servitude in order to be gain and maintain peace with him, that’s what you need to give him.
And so it is with our relationship to Christ.
In the illustration of the two kings, it’s true that the stronger king could choose simply to destroy the first king and his army and then take everything.
But those building kingdoms typically want subjects to rule, not just stuff.
They already have plenty of stuff.
Jesus doesn’t want your stuff. Instead, He wants your devotion as His subject.
Any stuff that gets in the way of your devotion needs to be seen as dispensable.
If you or I have any possession or position to which we’re clinging, despite the Holy Spirit’s consistent leading to let it go, then we have a decision to make.
Do we want to be disciples or not?
Will we give up our peer approval that is based on social behaviors that offend the stronger King who is coming back one day?
Will we give up our private entertainment habits that offend that King named Jesus?
Will we finally start giving church offerings at the 10 percent tithe minimum that Jesus taught in Matthew 23? And then give more as the Lord blesses us?
Listen, in His grace, God blesses us with possessions and positions. It is our responsibility, though, to hold them loosely so that we can let them go if the stronger King calls us to do so in order to be His subject.
After all, peace with Him is the most important possession we could ever have, isn’t it?
As always, I love you
Martin
Thanks Marty… loved this one. A great reminder and challenge to remain steadfast “to hold loosely” our possessions and positions “so that we can let them go if the stronger King calls us to do so in order to be His subject.”
Thanks for the encouraging words, Nancy. I’m so very glad to know that your circle of influence is blessed with the love and discernment from a wonderful, godly woman like you. God smiles because of your efforts for His sake, I’m sure.