Joy the World Can Never Steal

From Gospel Translations

Audio Transcript

Compassion trumps consumption. That’s the text. “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property because you had compassion on those in prison (Hebrews 10:34). That’s the text. “You prioritized compassion for the prisoner over the protection of your possessions.”

And so, they went on their way to the prison and they looked over their shoulder, and their houses are being trashed. Windows broken. “Christians get out of town” written on the wall. Furniture being thrown out. Computers smashed over their leg. All the hard drives with your lifelong journal on them in the fire.

And what did they do as they looked over their shoulder? It’s in the text. They rejoiced. “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property.” Now that is so off the wall and un-American. But I want that with all my might. I want that more than I want anything. I want to be the kind of lover of Jesus, the kind of hoper in Jesus, that if following him means I have my goods plundered, it will make my day. That’s what it says. It just says it. “They joyfully accepted the plundering of their property.

How are you doing with that? How is your faith? Where are your priorities? How is your consumption piece and your compassion piece, your Christ piece and your worldly piece? We are so enslaved to our comforts and our securities and our acceptance in a world that has gone haywire, we can barely navigate anymore.