Sunday, August 26, 2012

Really? Seriously?


"So therefore, none of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions." 
--Jesus
Luke 14:33

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ownership of property was neither condemned nor forbidden in the New Testament.

Anonymous said...

This reminds me of the class at a church entitled, "Things I Wish Jesus Hadn't Said."

Anonymous said...

The ones forbidden to have private property were the 12 apostles. Perhaps Jesus wanted the rich young ruler to be joined to the apostles or perhaps he was just too covetous. At any rate the fact that Mary had a house in Jerusalem, Phillip had a house in Caesarea by the Sea, the parable of the talents, and the fact that Ananias and Sapphira were not required to sell their property or give the money when they did, testifies to the fact of private property.

Pharaphrase, (Commentary on Matthew by James Burton Coffman)

Anonymous said...

It is hard to accept the radical call of Jesus, huh?

Anonymous said...

Any way you look at it, it is a radical statement. Even the "fact of private property" in the NT period should not water down how radical this statement was. The fact that the early church did not enforce this directive may only have been a concession reflecting that it was simply too difficult for most to live with then as now.

Anonymous said...

If one did not have private property, how would they take care of their families? Depend on others? government? Isn't there something in the Bible about taking care of your own?

Anonymous said...

Larry, your home is paid for free and clear. When will you sell it and donate the full sale price to charity?

Anonymous said...

LJ, I guess this leaves you out - with your $100K non profit salary and company auto

Anonymous said...

It really leaves pretty much all of us out, doesn't it? I suspect that's one reason Jesus said some pretty jaw dropping things like this - provoke thought and conversation and get people to question whose really "out" and whose actually "in," because the answers would probably surprise many fo us.

Larry James said...

Anon 12:29, for the record my home is not paid for. And in general I live under the direction and judgment of these words, as do we all. My salary amount is public information via CitySquare's tax return annually. My car does not belong to CitySqure and has never been provided....I don't receive a mileage reimbursement. I think the teachings of Jesus re the poor and toward wealth indict me. I post them to unsettle those who harshly judge the poor with little or no knowledge of them or of the clear value proposition of scripture.

Anonymous said...

Larry won't say so, and I'm not sure how relevant it is for this conversation, but his salary is very low considering the size of the non-profit he leads. The ED's and CEO's of other similarly sized non-profits are 2x and more what Larry accepts in salary.

Anonymous said...

Hey, doesn't Gerald Britt get a car allowance?

seek first to understand said...

Why are we so quick to ask questions about salaries and compensation policies of those who dedicate their lives to serving the poor, but we do not question the sick growth in the pay of corporate CEOs whose only passion is their wealth and the wealth of their fellow shareholders?

How much do you think the CEO of a $10MM company should make? Should he get health insurance? Should he get mileage reimbursement? A corporate credit card?

Well, imagine if that $10MM company was one that he built up from a $250K company.

And imagine if he had to fully recapitalize his business every year because it had not profit-generating mechanism.

That is the burden Larry bears.

He is paid well but not disproportionately.

Shouldn't that be the only standard?

Anonymous said...

It's interesting how some immediately resort to making this a personal attack on others, with no hint of self-reflection, just outward bound barbs.

Anonymous said...

I have often been critical of Larry's views on various subjects, but any of you who think he is making a bunch of money doing what he does have never taken the time to look at some very public records. He walks the walk so back off with any personal attacks.

Richard Corum

Anonymous said...

Sorry. That should be "has never"

Larry James said...

RC, Thanks for your kind support. Your love and honesty make conversation possible &productive.