We Have Left Everything

Have you ever been angry with God? Have you been confused by God? Even those who walked closest to Him didn't always know the plan.

“Those who heard it said, ‘Then who can be saved?’ He replied, ‘What is impossible for mortals is possible for God.’ Then Peter said, ‘Look, we have left our homes and followed you.’ And he [Jesus] said to them, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not get back very much more in this age, and in the age to come eternal life.’” -Luke 18:28-30, NRSV

Have you ever been angry with God? Have you been confused by God?

It’s safe to say that we all have experienced these feelings at some point or another. The twelve apostles were no stranger to these feelings too. Remember, they spent approximately three years with Jesus, literally walking by his side and witnessing his ministry. They were there in the most important moments of Jesus’ lifetime. They knew Jesus well, and yet they still struggled with the things he asked of them.

In the gospel of Luke, Jesus taught about laying down one’s possessions in pursuit of God. In the story, a rich man asked Jesus, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (18:18, NRSV). After reminding the man about the commandments, Jesus told the man that he must sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor (18:22). When the man became sad at the thought of doing this, Jesus explained that, “. . . it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Luke 18:25, NRSV). Jesus emphasized in this passage that wealth gets you nowhere. He told the rich man to sell everything and give the money to those who need it.

But the people listening questioned this. They said: “Then who can be saved?” (18:26, NRSV). Jesus simply replied, “What is impossible for mortals is possible for God” (18:27, NRSV).

And in response to this statement from Jesus, Peter seemed confused. Peter, Jesus’ right-hand guy, the “rock” on which the Church was to be built (Matthew 16:18-19), said to Jesus: “Look, we have left our homes and followed you” (Luke 18:28, NRSV).

What tone do you think Peter said this in? Frustration? Despair? Confusion?

The disciples had left so much behind. They had been following Jesus all over the place! They had laid down their lives for Jesus and left all that they knew behind. Peter had a very human moment in this passage from the gospel of Luke. It is clear that Peter experienced some form of frustration or confusion.

Why is this important?

It is important because it is validating for twenty-first century Christians. Peter, the “rock” on which Jesus would built the Church, got frustrated (Matthew 16:18). Peter, who literally walked next to Jesus and was a vital part of the ministry, still was confused and challenged by some of the things that Jesus asked of His followers.

For us Christians, 2000 years later, I think we can relate to Peter in this passage.

2000 years later, we sometimes feel like throwing our hands up saying, “Look, Jesus, I have given you everything! I have left behind so much that I wanted. What else do I do?”

Take heart that Peter knew how you felt.

Take heart that even those who walked next to Jesus for three years still didn’t know exactly what the plan was.

We aren’t meant to know every detail of our lives. If we did, it would be overwhelming. If we had knowledge of every step we were meant to take and every outcome, humanity as we know it, would be dramatically different.

There is beauty in the unknown. There is beauty in trusting in the Lord.

But along the way, if you get frustrated, know that you are in good company.

In Christ,

Lauren