A few years ago, an acquaintance of mine found out that his company wanted to relocate him to Scotland, so he and his wife packed up and moved.
About six months later, a mutual friend received this report from them: “Scotland is great! There is a Wal-Mart right down the street from us!”
Technically, they were living in Scotland. In reality, they were just living like Canadians in a different place. Rather than immersing themselves in the culture and in a different worldview, they shopped at Wal-mart in Edinburgh.
That story makes me wonder, “Is it possible to do the same thing in spiritually?”
In other words, can we really say we are living in the “kingdom of God” if we are never challenged and if we never change? Am I really experiencing kingdom life if I am I still the same person I have always been (I just happen to go to church now)?
As you think about that, consider this passage. “Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’" (Luke 21:1-4).
Why does Jesus commend this woman’s actions?
Certainly, from a practical point of view, it is not smart. Who gives away the last two coins that they have to live on? From a financial point of view, it is not a significant gift. The amount she gave would come to less than a penny today. What is it about this act that caught Jesus’ attention?
Could it be that real faith requires us to take real risks once in a while? Is it possible that, by doing what she did, this woman showed that she was living by spiritual principles and not just her own “common sense”?
Now, please understand, I am not advocating (nor is Jesus teaching) that faith should make us stupid and irresponsible. However, what good is a faith that never causes us to do anything that we would not do otherwise?
According to Jesus (in this and many other passages), people in God’s kingdom ought to see things from a different perspective, value different things and live in a different way.
Second Corinthians 5:7 says, “We live by faith, not by sight”.
Which one do you live by?
The first one leads to real life in God’s kingdom.
The other is just shopping at Wal-mart in a different country.
About six months later, a mutual friend received this report from them: “Scotland is great! There is a Wal-Mart right down the street from us!”
Technically, they were living in Scotland. In reality, they were just living like Canadians in a different place. Rather than immersing themselves in the culture and in a different worldview, they shopped at Wal-mart in Edinburgh.
That story makes me wonder, “Is it possible to do the same thing in spiritually?”
In other words, can we really say we are living in the “kingdom of God” if we are never challenged and if we never change? Am I really experiencing kingdom life if I am I still the same person I have always been (I just happen to go to church now)?
As you think about that, consider this passage. “Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ he said, ‘this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on’" (Luke 21:1-4).
Why does Jesus commend this woman’s actions?
Certainly, from a practical point of view, it is not smart. Who gives away the last two coins that they have to live on? From a financial point of view, it is not a significant gift. The amount she gave would come to less than a penny today. What is it about this act that caught Jesus’ attention?
Could it be that real faith requires us to take real risks once in a while? Is it possible that, by doing what she did, this woman showed that she was living by spiritual principles and not just her own “common sense”?
Now, please understand, I am not advocating (nor is Jesus teaching) that faith should make us stupid and irresponsible. However, what good is a faith that never causes us to do anything that we would not do otherwise?
According to Jesus (in this and many other passages), people in God’s kingdom ought to see things from a different perspective, value different things and live in a different way.
Second Corinthians 5:7 says, “We live by faith, not by sight”.
Which one do you live by?
The first one leads to real life in God’s kingdom.
The other is just shopping at Wal-mart in a different country.
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