Where did you put….?

Yes we are at that stage yet again. Our 3rd move in 4 years, which can be beaten by our youngest who claims 9 moves in 9 years! The boxes are starting to mount up, and that cry “Where did you put…?” rings out.

We recall leaving Birmingham only two years ago. It’s good that we seem to now know where we are NOT going…

and that, as a Methodist, every packed box contains a ‘Bar’…

The Bible tells us to sell everything

It can look like that. It could very well depend upon whether you accept the Bible as a literal truth, everything it says has been written for you, today; or you might well accept Scripture as a collection of letters written by different people, for different societies, at different times, in different circumstances. Then it could be described as our ongoing way of understanding God as we journey onwards.

The many scriptures that tell us to sell everything …Luke 14:33, for example, could pose significant problems. It is a really issue when we see so many people desperate, in need when some have so much. Our society is one focussed upon capitalism: just listen to the pressure imposed upon American States to open up their economies regardless of the health issues.

But I wonder whether those particular scriptures were written for a particular audience, for a particular time? May be take a step back.

What is our living God saying to us today?

What are our worldly goods actually for?

If God is telling you to store your goods, save money for yourself, we may want to have a second listen. However, if we are hearing that God is asking us to be like… “selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need” Acts 2:45 then we are ready. It’s may be “where did you put…” so that we can help others.

As Jesus bucked the trend with the turning over the tables, subverting the capitalist economical model within the Temple, the disciples took on a counter-cultural approach to helping others.

We have seen this in spades with the people in Todmorden. And it will be likewise elsewhere.

Is this acceptable, to be counter-cultural?

So, what is your opinion? Should we keep goods, store them for our later life? Or should we adhere to the literal Scriptural view that we should sell up everything?