Don't be empty houses

Are there any empty buildings in your town? It's sad to see buildings that aren't being used for anything, with dirty walls and broken windows. You wish a store or people would move in and bring the building to life again!

In this week's Gospel (Luke 14:25-33), Jesus talks about empty buildings -- and people. Like buildings, people are at their best when they're being used for something good, not when they're empty!

"If anyone comes to me without hating their father and mother, husband or wife, brothers and sisters, they can't be my disciple," Jesus told a crowd. "If you're going to build a tower, you have to check first to see if you have the money to finish it, or people will laugh at you. In the same way, you have to give up everything if you're going to follow me."

For Jesus, seeing "empty" people was scary. Jesus met lots of people who didn't love God at all, or pretended to follow Jesus but didn't try very hard to listen to Him.

If all empty buildings were used again, there would be room for everyone to live and lots of new stores. Jesus asked the empty people He met to be used, too -- to give up everything, even their families, to follow Him and do God's work.

The reason buildings are empty is that the people who owned them didn't have the money to live there or keep the stores open. Just like that, Jesus warned the people He met to plan for the future.

If you want to follow Him, Jesus said, remember that it means giving up a lot. People might laugh at you for being good. But to Jesus, you'll be as beautiful as a happy house or store -- instead of a lonely, empty building.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK: Jesus, teach me to act like you in whatever I do! Amen.

(09-03-98) [[In-content Ad]]