A few weeks ago I re-read the Gospels. Obviously there is a lot of richness in those four books on Jesus' life, but what forcefully struck me was just one passage:

"John said to the crowds coming out to be baptized by him, 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father." For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.'

'What should we do then?' the crowd asked.

John answered, 'Anyone who has two shirts should share with the one who has none, and anyone who has food should do the same.'” [luke3.7-11]

How many shirts do I have? Well, I haven't counted, but it's more than two. And how many jackets and coats do I have? More than two. That means I have enough to spare.

I finally heard what the Bible had been saying all this time, what John had been preaching for two millennia--- and Jesus convicted me to radically change the way that I spend money on clothing.

(Now that I'm willing to simply hear Jesus speak this message, I hope I'm enabled to better receive the Jesus of the Message.)

moves and removes