Fine Print: Die Daily — Tuesday
Matthew 19:21
Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (NLT)
Several years ago, my family and I went on a vacation to Disney World. As with every trip to Disney, a fair amount of time was spent strolling through the gift shops looking at various overpriced t-shirts and stuffed animals. My son, Riley, had saved up about $20 for the trip (a significant amount of money for a 7-year-old). And with that $20, he thought he could buy anything. He eyed giant stuffed animals. He looked at huge playsets. He had no concept of how much he had or how much things cost. But he knew one thing: He wasn’t going to waste his money. He was going to spend that hard-earned money on the best thing he could find. On the last night of the trip, we found ourselves at a store where my wife was looking at purses. There was one particular purse that caught her eye she almost bought, but in the end, she decided she didn’t need to spend the money. As we were walking out of the store, Riley came up and told me he’d decided what to buy. He wanted to spend his money on the purse his mom wanted.
It was such a sweet and selfless gesture, I didn’t have the heart to tell him that it cost a lot more than $20… so I may have helped him out a little. But he was beyond excited to buy that purse and give it to his mom. To this day, it’s one of my wife’s most cherished possessions.
In that moment, Riley taught me exactly what Jesus is trying to teach us all. Jesus simply wants us to sacrifice our own desires for others. Too often when I think of denying self, I think of the big actions. I think of tipping a waitress $1,000 or buying someone a car. Don’t get me wrong—those are fantastic gifts and wonderful things to do. But Jesus isn’t concerned about the size of the gift or the value of the donation. What matters to Him is the weight of the sacrifice. Maybe it’s choosing to not buy a new vehicle so you can instead help a family make their rent payment. Maybe it’s saving money by eating at home so you can pay for someone’s groceries. Before you make that next purchase, take a moment and ask God if there’s someone who needs that money more than you do.
Tuesday’s Reflection
How can you put someone else’s needs ahead of your own desires today? Ask God to show you someone in need. But be advised—it might take a sacrifice on your part to help.