Give to the Poor!

"Go and sell what you have and give to the poor." Mark 10:21

This is one of the most difficult instructions Jesus gave anyone. Imagine this man, running towards Jesus, kneeling down before Him, and asking earnestly, "What must I do to inherit everlasting life?" Jesus tells him that he must keep the commandments, and the man says that he has kept all these things from his youth. He did not realize that for Jesus, just being angry with a person was tantamount to murder, looking with lust at a woman was like committing adultery. Taking what he said at face value, Jesus looked with love at this man, and said, "Then sell all you possess, and give to the poor. You will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me." 

Another thing the man did not realize was that he did not own anything. We come into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing. While we are here, God lends us everything, our family, our home, our gifts and talents, our business, our job, all our possessions, and even our time! Everyone who thinks he is in control of anything in this world is under an illusion. God can take it away in a second. 

I was thinking for Lent I could look at what I own, and every day, choose something to give away. I have too many things, I cannot fit it nicely into spaces! That way, I will have treasure in heaven growing every day!