February 9, 2020: No Pain, No Gain – Bekah Stewart

Giving is good for you. And the opposite is true. Attempting to hold on to what you have is bad for you. This points toward something worth observing when it comes to being generous. We can become slaves to what we own. Instead of us owning things; things have the power to own us. This is the reminder that God gives to his people in Deuteronomy 8 when he warns them never to think that they have created their wealth, but to remember that God is the one who has given it to them. For when we freely receive; we more freely give.

 

In this story we meet a young, wealthy, influential person who lacks one thing – the ability to walk away from his money. In his exchange with Jesus we see that Jesus loves him. He is not mad, he does not roll his eyes, he does not condemn, rather he loves. He tells the man to give it all away – why? Because Jesus is about freedom. Seeing a person who was bound, Jesus invites him toward liberation. As is often the case, liberation is painful. But it is so good for us.