“Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” – Matthew 8:19-20
The summer heat has died down, and the humidity has dissipated and been replaced by the chill in the air often associated with Autumn in the South. The weather is oftentimes unpredictable as we have all experienced this past year. Flooding, earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, and winter blasts that lasted well into early Spring have impacted many throughout this year. We watch the news as they describe the devastation brought upon the buildings, businesses, schools, and residential communities after one of these events. We’ve seen the debris field left behind afterwards and prayed for those that are impacted and we pray for those that have lost family members. It’s tragic when something like this happens because if you are in the path of one of these storms it can change your life forever.
The ones we seldom hear about though, are the homeless in these circumstances. What have they lost should a tornado rip through their cardboard community? Their wealth and their life belongings fit into a box or a shopping cart. The roof over their head is often a cardboard box if they are lucky enough to find one. Have you thought about the plight of the homeless during these catastrophic events?
Our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ was a homeless man for the few years of His ministry. Sure, His mother and father had a place in Nazareth, but Jesus was seldom in Nazareth after His ministry began. He called the disciples to “follow Me”. It wasn’t a request to go on vacation, it was a request to give up their current life and to follow the Messiah, the son of man. A bold request, that most would spend hours if not days thinking about, before agreeing to. Jesus called these men away from the comfort of their homes, their families, and their peace of mind. There were no guarantees, no assurances that He would provide transportation, shelter, or an income. For these things were not of concern to Jesus Christ.
In towns and villages Jesus, and the disciples, would often stay with one another. Sometimes it was a friend, sometimes it was a tax collector. His command to the disciples was to go out among the communities, heal the sick, and cast out demons in His name. In doing so He instructs them “do not take anything and to stay with others when they come upon a community” (Matthew 10:9-11). Their nourishment and provisions should not be their concern, for their mission is to spread His grace, love, and salvation. When they traveled, they looked to the Father for provision, and in doing so became less dependent upon worldly possessions which would only distract them from their calling.
We all become preoccupied with this world and material possessions at times. When storms roll through and all is lost, it is so easy to fall prey to the evil one and believe that our life indeed is lost because we have nothing. Take a moment and consider this outlandish idea. If you did not have a home, car, or a job; all you had were the clothes on your back and shoes on your feet; what would you do for God? Would you travel from city to city spreading His good news? Would you look for shelter from a stranger and then share the gospel with them? I have heard a story of a young man, successful by the world’s standards, who gave up everything to travel America and hand out bibles. He moves from city to city, begging and working for his keep, and in the process asking for folks to donate bibles, which he gives away to those in need. This is a modern-day example of what Jesus Christ was asking His disciples to do. It seems far-fetched and counterintuitive when looked at from the world’s perspective. Yet, he is not concerned about losing everything to floods, tornados, hurricanes, or wildfires.
It’s a strange thought I know, but it’s one that we all must face at one point or another – What worldly possession is separating me from truly serving the Lord? I think about this and often shutter at my answer, for it is worldly by nature.
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