September 5th - Reflection

Time after Pentecost - Lectionary 23
(NRSV)
Give up your possessions

Now large crowds were traveling with him; and he turned and said to them, "Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it? Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it will begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going out to wage war against another king, will not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose the one who comes against him with twenty thousand? If he cannot, then, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for the terms of peace. So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.

Reflection
Give it up! We sit at football games and cheer on the team to give it up, give it their all, but we don't really mean this literally.

But I think in this passage, Jesus is asking us to give it all up. Give it all up and follow him. I think of the disciples called from their boat, who left their father sitting in the boat, as these two brothers gave it all up and left to follow Jesus. What did poor ol' dad think of Jesus? I could imagine a couple of thoughts going through his mind at least.

He may have been upset with his sons for leaving all that he had built up in business, for his sons to up and leave him behind to follow this stranger named Jesus.

But he may have also thought, that if his sons were willing to leave all he had built up in business, to up and leave him for Jesus, that his sons must know something he is not aware of and that he too should up and follow Jesus.

As we go through life and we give it up for Jesus, it is my hope and prayer that others would take on the second opinion of my life or the lives of others that I have seen give it up for Jesus. Follow Jesus! Be a disciple and give it up. You will one day give it all up one way or another, why not give it up now and live! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I see how you gave it up...what an example of love! Make my life an example of your love as I give it up. --- Amen