“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Jesus-Luke 12:32-34
Writing this in the dawn of the morning with David Crowder’s, “Oh How He Loves Me ” in the background shapes the tenderness in Jesus’ voice as he explains this simple yet beautiful teaching to his disciples.
“Little flock”- the Good Shepherd with such grace calls his team of disciples, Little Flock. I guess this is what Jesus might call a term of endearment. It reminds me that when Jesus is teaching, shaping, and molding, it is not with anger, frustration, or disdain, but with compassion, gentleness, and kindness. It reveals his deep love for us and especially his disciples.
“…your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom”- Jesus continues with his purpose of explaining to his disciples why they should not be worried or concerned when they remain open handed and generous. This world is not our final destination or resting point. It is not the end but a transition into a place and relationship and a way of living that is significantly greater than what we can experience and imagine here.
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”- If you are like me, each Spring, I fling open the windows, let fresh air swell through my home and begin to do some invigorating cleaning. The garage sale season really gets momentum. It becomes the time to look in the closet and see what I do not need anymore. I ponder which thrift stores I will take items to. There is something therapeutic about downsizing and de-accumulating. Have you ever used E-Bay to get rid of items and used the proceeds to help a ministry? Ever sold books back and instead of pocketing the change, found a meaningful place to be used? Imagine if you used a clothing buy back store such as “Plato’s Closet” or even a consignment store with the intent of maximizing the value to give intentionally. That extra cash tied up in unused assets could be just enough to sponsor a child through World Vision, Compassion International, or hey, even Sonshine Kids Day Camp. But there is something precious and freeing when we intentionally downsize and use it to increase and further God’ mission.
These last set of phrases have a great ring to them:
“Provide purses that do not wear out”- i.e. store you money in a lasting place
“…a treasure that will not be exhausted”- the Kingdom has a money tree or least an ever flowing source of needed resources
“where no thief comes”- no need for the alarm and security system that costs me several dollars per month- what a frustrating waste…this also means that we are not only able to trust Jesus for our provisions, we will be able to trust one another…I imagine there will not be any need to steal in God’s kingdom.
“and no moth destroys”- moth balls…uggghhhh….guess those are not in the Kingdom either although I imagine we still get to enjoy the beautiful beauty of the moths themselves.
I close these thoughts to balance the intensity of what I shared last week. As Jesus calls us to simply follow Him, he does that in a tight community willing to trust each other and our Good Father. Seeking simplicity is a quest that Jesus leads us on. Although personal, it is best done as a community, much like a mountain climbing party that have to depend on each other to finish the trek. I pray, these words from Jesus will resonate and plant in your heart as you walk with him and seek a life of simplicity within the bounds of the craziness we all experience. “Little flock”, he loves us! Trust him today! For where our treasure is our heart will be also!
Grace and peace,
lisa
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