Possessions

Which of you wishing to construct a tower does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if there is enough for its completion?  Otherwise, after laying the foundation and finding himself unable to finish the work the onlookers should laugh at him and say, one began to build but did not have the resources to finish.' 

Or what king marching into battle would not first sit down and decide whether with ten thousand troops he can successfully oppose another king advancing upon him with twenty thousand troops?  But if not, while he is still far away, he will send a delegation to ask for peace terms.  In the same way, everyone of you who does not renounce all his possessions cannot be my disciple."

Are we prepared to do what is necessary to properly and truthfully follow Christ?  What exactly does it mean to follow Christ?  It means to give up all our possessions, according to this reading from Luke. 

Are we possessed by dislike or even hatred for those who are different from us, who we think threaten us in some way?  Are we possessed by jealousy and thirst for power and control over those in our lives?   Are we possessed by anger and frustration and the stresses of everyday life so that smiles are few and far between?   Are we possessed by what we would call evil spirits having power over us made obvious through our speech and actions?

Possessions mean more that tangible goods that we own or seek.  Jesus asks us to give up all that makes us less than we are capable of being – caring, compassionate and loving.  When we follow Jesus, he possesses us.  That’s the right kind of possession.

Deacon David Pierce