Subject: Sell what you have-give alms |
Bible Note: Flyman, You have been given numerous answers and commentary on this verse. And every last one of them is correct. I feel absolutely no condemnation that I have a car, a computer, internet, clothing and food enough. I rarely have extra but when I do, I find a way to bless someone with that extra. That's how I read that command. Under the Law of Liberty that you have in your Master you are perfectly free to sell all that you have and God be with you. Once you have given all away and have no more to give, please let me know how you are doing. I lived that way when I was very young and survived, but I was NOT a blessing to anyone when I had nothing to offer but needs of my own. Yes, God provided during my ignorance, but at the expense of others who sure could have put what they gave to me to much better use. It could have gone to people who truly had nothing and had no way to get what they needed, when I was perfectly capable of working for my living. I am NOT proud of those days at all!! I praise my God that He saw fit to keep me alive long enough for me to realize my foolishness. For I wasn't following Him, I was too busy trying to find food, shelter, clothing, etc., just daily surviving. Maybe it was to admonish you that today in 2008 you cannot physically follow Him and sit and listen to Him teach - that is what He was saying to those in the gospels, who could do that. (I sometimes envy them!!!) And the part about hating family and such, stands true today in that when it comes to who is FIRST and FOREMOST it is to be Him, and not mother, father, wife, husband, child, or anything else. As an example, right now in my apartment building there is a big secular party with a live band going on, but I observe the Sabbath. There is nothing wrong in a secular party, I'd have gone last night, but I do nothing during this 24-hour period that has anything to do with anything other than study, prayer, worship, reading, writing about or talkiing about Jesus, my Master (though in the freedom that we have in Jesus, I could be downstairs right now if I wanted to go). I choose to put Him first over a fun party and I'm having a wonderful night, I've got my praise music on, Bible open, and talking to you about the God of heaven and earth. I'm not missing anything at all!! (I hope I don't sound like I'm boasting because I'm not, I'm simply trying to give you a very viable example of "hating" anything that might take your mind off putting Him first. I worship Him all the other days of the week as well, but I treat the Sabbath as a little dress rehearsal of the world to come where it will be HIM 24/7 and I love it and I can't wait for the real thing!) Maybe since you can't seem to find the answer you want, you should take the advice another responder gave you, and quit looking at the tree and view the forest for now. The tree will become self-explanatory soon enough. Meanwhile, be blessed. And as Kcabm14 told you, if God wants you to sell all you have, you would be doing it and not asking questions about it, you would just know that you know that you know that you are to do it. Shalom Cheri |