There are scriptures that just give me trouble. We will deal with one of these today. For

some reason we think that a vow of poverty is spiritual. Why do we do that? One clear reasons is the

Catholic Church has their priest take vows of poverty. This is a declaration of devotion to not let the

things of the world hold captive over your devotion to serving the Lord.

Not long ago Tara and I hosted two priest in our home. They have traveled from New York City for some

advanced leadership training and they chose me to spend some time with them. I learned a lot from

them. We had deep theological conservations. We disagreed on some many things. However, we

gained a deep respect for one another and discovered common beliefs that connected us.

One of the topics we discussed was this vow to poverty. Although they made the vow, the struggle to

live was evident and the vow had a ruling over them in a negative way. The bottom line is that we need

stuff. We need resources. We need a way to make it in this world. It is true that God is our supply. He

is enough and he provides for us. He does this in tangible ways and often in mystical ways. God has us.

However, there is a great temptation for our stuff to have us and not our God.

The vow that my priest friends had made was not freeing but controlling. Although they vowed to have

nothing the having of nothing cast a huge shadow over their souls.

The same can be said of those who have a lot. We can let our stuff or lack of stuff control our lives.

Then Jesus comes along and has an encounter with a rich young ruler. So often I have heard this

scripture taught that Jesus was against wealth. That is not the case. Jesus is against anything or anyone

having control of your heart other than him.

My priest fiends had nothing, and I have other friends who have everything. Then there is most of us

living in between. The struggle is the same…our stuff can have us and we miss life. What is Jesus

teaching us through this encounter? What is he saying about riches, control, eternal life, and rule

keeping. Let’s lean in and find out……