Matthew 13:12 … More to be Given (04/11/17)
“For to those who truly Have, more will be given, … but from those who do not Have, even what little they possess will be taken from them.” ~ Jesus (Matthew 13:12)
For those mired in self-focus this verse sounds almost masochistic. Indeed, why would more be given to those who already have? And why would everything be taken away from those who already have nothing? It just doesn’t seem fair. And if we are speaking of the standard, self-centered mindset, it is indeed an unjust statement – no doubt about it …
And yet Jesus was quite clearly not speaking in harmony with the standard way of thinking, just as he was quite clearly not ever acting in harmony with the normal way of doing things. He had come with a very different message – one that would require others to renew their minds (Matthew 7:5) by awakening their hearts (Luke 6:35), and a way that required them to repeatedly alter their ways of dealing with one another (i.e. become repeatedly “born again” a la John 3:3-8, by actively Loving one’s enemies a la Matthew 5:43-48 &/or actively Caring for the down trodden a la Matthew 25:35-40).
Indeed for Jesus, true wealth was not related to material things at all (“either God or riches” a la Matthew 6:24), but rather was a spiritual reward that came from choosing selfless Love (“if you would be perfect” a la Matthew 19:21).
For Jesus, those who “Had” were those who were engaged in acts of willing self-sacrifice – those engaged in selfless giving – those engaged in community service – those engaged in Love. And for these people – for those fully immersed in his Way of perfect Love, more & more opportunities to serve would be given them (not only because more would be attracted thereto, but also because the more one Loves the more one opens one’s eyes to Seeing the need for Love that is all around us in every moment of our lives) …
Conversely, those who “do not Have” – for Jesus, those who refuse to care for others or refuse to give generously or refuse to Love humbly, all that they have accumulated instead will become a source of suffering for them; all will be either lost or taken away or become meaningless ballast on their feeble meanderings through life.
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