I've been struggling with something lately. Until recently, I have never put much thought into what what Jesus meant when he said to "sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor." Everything? Surely not. My car? My computer? My phone? My clothes? My snowboard? Everything?

I've heard sermons on this passage before and the conclusion I mostly get is that we must be willing to give up our stuff or that we must have a heart of giving but the passage is not meant to be taken literal. The more I read, the more confused I am. I read stories about Shane Claiborne and how he left everything to move into the less than glamorous side of Philly. And then I hear pastors say that it shouldn't be taken literal. But the more I look at the Bible the more evidence I see of people literally leaving everything to follow Jesus. The disciples left everything. I envision a kind of pied piper scenario. (is that sacrilegious?) One guys fishing, he hears the music, drops everything and follows. One guys collecting taxes, he hears the music, drops everything and follows. It seems like Jesus was pretty serious when he said to leave everything and follow.

But I like my stuff. I know I definitely don't need it all and I'm trying to be more conscience of living simpler, but do I really have to give up everything?

I don't know the answer to this. And that is what I'm struggling with. But I am convinced that Jesus does not tell us to just write a check and send it off to some charity. I'm convinced that we are called to interact with and love and fellowship with the poor and needy, to see them as actual human beings created in the image of God.

This blog puts what I'm trying to say much more eloquently.
This book is evidence of someone who took Luke 18 seriously and has really helped me think through some of these things.