Here Jesus turns his back on... what? A fixed home or situation, family and its comfort and obligations. He chooses to live with a poverty of place, of family, and of attachments, depending only on His Father and on doing His Father's will. As for me, do I possess my memories, places, and things, or do they possess me? And my values, principles, and priorities? They do define me, to a certain extent, but am I free of them? Can I always be ready to become other, more, and new, or do I let the past define me completely and rigidly? I can't totally escape from the influence of that material reality that extends beyond air, water, food, clothing, and shelter, but am I free with all of that extra? Do I place it all in God's hands and then receive it back from Him as a complete gift and a call to work with Him personally? If so, I might be able to find the same freedom that Jesus exhibits and live with the same energy and zeal that He does. |