Having lived all my life in a wealthy European country, but also spent time among people who live at subsistence level and have very little, the injustice of inequality is a constant provocation to me. Jesus had a lot of things to say about that, which are challenging but well worth hearing.
One of them was his response to the wealthy young law-keeper in Matthew 19: “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
Not surprisingly, the young man went away sad. Well, you would, wouldn't you?
That may have been an extreme case of someone who was particularly materialistic and in thrall to his possessions, and there may have been a degree of hyperbole in Jesus' response - there's no suggestion he asked the same of everyone. But the general idea of abandoning ‘treasure’ and sharing responsibility for the poor is completely in keeping with his teaching and lifestyle. On one occasion he described himself as homeless - having “nowhere to lay his head”. On another he said: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”
Those words raise important questions, particularly in times when many are under financial stress. What do I actually need, and what simply constitutes ‘treasure’? How much is appropriate to keep for myself, and how much should I give to those who have less? How much should I set aside for my own future needs, so as not to be a burden to anyone else? How much should I contribute to the present needs of others? What about those who have made bad choices or take no responsibility for themselves?
Jesus was always careful not to lay down the law and put guilt on people - there were plenty around him doing that. He didn't provide a ‘one fits all’ answer, and he left the detail to conscience. But he also didn't swerve the challenge. And he called out those who were asking, “how little can I give” rather than “how much.” Such as the Pharisees who nominally devoted all their possessions to God to avoid taking responsibility for their ageing parents!
So there isn't a simplistic answer to the question. But at risk of simply targeting the minimum, there is one easily identifiable set of ‘treasure’: all the stuff that sits in our cupboards unused for months or even years on end. At least one person I know goes through their wardrobe annually and clears out anything they haven't worn that year. Another did the same thing with their bank account. However we interpret it, it seems like a good principle, and I'm trying to apply it to all my own ‘stuff’.
It's not all I do, but it's something. It's a bit of a pain and a faff , and some of the stuff has little value and ends up in charity shops. But it has more worth there than in my cupboard. And as Augustine said - “The bellies of the poor are much safer storehouses than barns.”
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