‘Blessed are those whom the Master finds alert when he comes.’ This gospel sets the stage for exploring the deeper meaning of less anxiety, absolute readiness, and more spiritual vigilance in the life of the faithful.
Jesus was preaching to a large crowd gathered ‘by the thousands.’ In both Luke and Matthew, you will see that Jesus addresses his audience about consequences of holding on to possessions and he encourages us to rely on God’s providence for our needs and the rewards of taking care of the poor.
Then he uses this metaphor, “Make purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail…” (Luke 12:33).
With this metaphor, he invites His hearers into a radically different economy—one rooted in eternal values, not earthly wealth. So, what is ‘making purses that do not wear out’? I don’t think it’s about leather craftsmanship. In context, the purse Jesus is referring to is a vessel that can carry the weight of glory when the kingdom of God breaks in. So, for kingdom readiness Jesus is asking us to be alert, and:
- To let go of the earthly purse. If your purse contains things of God, then your heart is oriented toward God’s reign, protected and safe, where no thief comes and no moth destroys. If your purse is secured with earthly cares, it will wear out.
- We must also be spiritually resilient. It requires cultivating a heart and soul that’s durable, generous, steadfast, and attuned to God’s movement and God’s love.
The line “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Lk 12:34; also Matt. 6:21) changes everything. It is one of the most well-known verses used in stewardship campaigns. We read that phrase in Jesus’ teaching and in the Parable of the Rich Fool, where the farmer concentrated heavily on accumulating wealth to ensure future security – or so he thought. Jesus teaches in that parable that “One’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions,' – meaning, ’don’t lay heavily in your own might – trust God to provide your needs.'
Paul also communicates reliance and trusting God by faith to the Hebrews (Hebrews 11). He says faith is the willingness to rely on God and follow where God leads, even when it doesn’t fit into our plans, because humans don’t see what God sees. By worrying about material things, we might miss the kingdom of God altogether.
Here's a story:
Miriam is a mother of two. When she hears Jesus’ words— “Sell your possessions and give alms”—she feels a knot in her stomach. Was Jesus asking her to sell her home? Her car? The couch where her kids curled up to read? She wasn’t wealthy, but she had a pantry full of food, a warm bed, and a heart that often worried about bills, braces, and broken appliances.
She thinks of her mortgage, her children, and her aging parents. She wants to be generous, but thought she’ll wait for the “right time”—when she feels secure.
She prayed, “Lord, I want to follow you, but I also need to care for my children. What do you mean by “Selling your possessions and giving alms?”
As she meditated on these, she sensed a shift—not in her bank account, but in her heart. She realized Jesus wasn’t asking her to liquidate her life. He was asking her to loosen her grip about tomorrow. To change her heart from ‘self-centeredness’ to ‘loving and caring for others.’ To see her pantry not just as a provision, but as a possibility. So, she began a new way of life by gradually getting involved in her community, inviting neighbors over for meals. She even started budgeting a small amount each month to support a single mom in her church. Her possessions didn’t disappear - they became instruments of grace, not idols of security.
Let me stress that “Jesus is not asking us to make money, nor is he asking us to sell our homes or abandon our responsibilities. Jesus is communicating something profound to his hearers utilizing metaphorical language, and we must understand his instructions more carefully.
In the first place, most of Jesus’ followers were poor, which puts a question mark on the word ‘sell’ as in ‘to sell possessions.’ Could that be a mistranslation? The Greek word used can mean “to sell” but also indicate ‘to barter a trade of some sort.’ But it’s from the Greek word root, ‘hyparcho,’ which according to the Lexicon, means “to begin,” or” to make a new beginning.” So, it’s more likely that Jesus’ instructions are to have a ‘change of heart’ or to ‘trade in’, or ‘make a new start’ and convert the anxieties regarding what they’ll eat or drink next into reliance on God while having compassion for others. In other words, Jesus wanted them to be like him – sharing other parts of their lives for others’ welfare.
Jesus knows there are children to raise, bills to pay, and health to steward. What he’s asking is that we hold our possessions loosely and use them generously; to make a new beginning, a beginning that comes from within, so that by faith, we see our hearts and possessions not just as shelters, but as sanctuaries for the Holy Spirit.
Faith, after all, is not about mathematical guarantees or predictable outcomes. It’s the courage to open ourselves to new mercies, to God’s surprising abundance, even when we are unsure how tomorrow’s needs will be met. When we unclench our fists, we discover something new - the joy of living with hearts unburdened by anxiety and rooted instead in hope.
We can do this, my friends, if we STAY ALERT as servants ready to serve. We can offer our neighbors a place of love, respect, acceptance, and friendship.
So, my question to you is, ‘Who is your neighbor?’ AMEN!