God, What Do You Want?

For the first time in my life I have had the ability to accumulate “stuff.” I’ve never had this ability before and I’ve been struggling with it. On one side of the stuff I see a Gospel being preached in Christendom that God blesses us with stuff when we are good followers of Him. On the other side of the stuff I’ve read a number of authors that more or less preach “God wants your stuff.” If you don’t give all of your stuff to Him then you are not really one of His disciples…you really aren’t following Him. I have some respect for this second group because I’ve actually seen many of them live it out in powerful ways…but I’m still not sure if that is what the Gospel really teaches…I’m not sure if that is what Jesus really says.

In Luke’s Gospel we find Jesus in conversation with a “Rich Young Ruler.” He asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds with a list from the Law but the Rich Guy had kept all of those since he was a boy. Jesus then says something that I have heard people throw around a lot in terms of “Stuff.” He says in 18:22, “Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me.” It is this verse along with, “You cannot serve both God and money” found in Matt 6:27, which have been used to say that it is wrong for followers of Jesus to have stuff.

I have been struggling with this teaching for some time, and I know how controversial it can be, so I want to share a conviction and a challenge to you. Take it or leave it…I won’t judge. I don’t think Jesus wants our stuff. Somewhere in the middle of these two extreme teachings of Poverty vs Plenty we find what Jesus was really saying. In I Sam 16:7, God tells Samuel, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

All throughout Jesus’ teachings I feel like He is echoing what God told Samuel. If you can get past what Jesus said to the Rich Guy, He then says, “I tell you the truth…no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.” It isn’t just about the stuff. It is about anything that takes your heart away from God. Go read Luke 9:57-62. Jesus encounters different people who want to follow Him but first want to take care of their stuff. He tells them at the end to focus on what is important…He wants their hearts.

Here we ask the question in Luke 18:26, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus’ answer is basically this. “If you try and be saved on your own…you’re arrogant. Give it to God. It is only possible with Him.” Here is the challenge…examine your life on a regular basis. What can you give up for a time to make sure God has your heart? Make the practice of sacrifice and depend on God…be reminded the He is God and you are not. He wants nothing more than your heart. Find ways to make sure He has it!