Commanded to be Prepared

“If you want to be perfect,” Jesus said to him, “go, sell your belongings and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.”

When the young man heard that command, he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.
(Matthew 19:21-22 HCSB ©®)

The context of that quote and comment is Matthew 19:16-30. In it, there is much teaching about sacrifices and the Kingdom.

Every “command of Scripture” is not an instruction to you. Context is valuable in discerning what Jesus was saying to whom, and how what He said relates to your life and ministry. Jesus commanded Judas to betray Him, for example (John 13:22-27). Even the context is not sufficient to discern every instruction that the Spirit of Jesus may be giving you as you read some Scripture. The Spirit’s ability to lead and teach us is unmatched by any method or discipline of study.

Jesus, by instructing the rich young ruler to give away all his property was not telling you to do the same. He was not even telling every rich person to do the same. He was telling that individual what preparation he needed if he was to become a follower of Jesus. If you are rich, and your riches are preventing you from trusting and serving Jesus, He may say the same thing to you.

There is preparation that you need to be a follower of Jesus that relates to something other than money, maybe. Maybe it is related to the work you do or the study you should be doing or the relationships you are in or should be in. All along our path on the earth, there are “next things” that we need to either acquire or be liberated from that we need to be looking and listening for, and then obeying the invitation to life and freedom and righteousness that Jesus is offering to us as preparation for the real work of being His people.