Radical Acts of Jesus - Sell, Give and Grow Spiritually! - Michelle Boccanfuso Nanouche, CSB Christian Science Practitioner & Teacher

7/9/2012

Radical Acts of Jesus - Sell, Give and Grow Spiritually!

Most Christians will say that the Sermon on the Mount is among their favorite Scriptures, but how many of us actually practice what it preaches? Taken verse by verse, the Sermon on the Mount contains some of Christ Jesus' strictest (read: toughest) teachings. For example, he says, "And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles. Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you." Matthew 5:40-42

I think Jesus asks something pretty extraordinary. He asks that we practice a Christianity where our personal losses can be a gain. It is a charity – a level of love that puts the needs of others above our own. Give, love, share, think of others. Do more than they ask, give more than they think they need or want. He says we need to do this. To enjoy giving to others. No self-justification, no feelings of injustice. No ME ME ME in our prayers and giving and doing.

Sound hard? The Sermon on the Mount does raise the bar very high. These lessons aren’t always easy to hear. They certainly aren’t always easy to practice. But how much do we want to be able to heal? How much do we really want to change the world? To be a blessing to others?

A man once told Jesus that he had followed the Ten Commandments since a child, but he wanted to know what more he needed to do to obtain eternal life. Matthew says, "Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions.” Matthew 19:21-22

His problem was not too much stuff. His problem was too much love for his stuff. More love for his stuff than for his own life. Think about it. Releasing materiality he would gain eternal life. Doesn't that sort of indicate that holding onto materiality is certain death? Like a death to freedom, death to joy, death to spiritual progress, death to stress-free, unburdened life?

Materiality - the ME ME ME, MINE MINE MINE - has got to go if we want to progress.

One day when I was 18, I read in Mary Baker Eddy's Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, “A great sacrifice of material things must precede this advanced spiritual understanding.”

I thought, “But I want to get married! I want a house, a nice car, a good life!” Then, I realized that this was a demand was for a sacrifice of material things - that which could be destroyed, that isn’t fixed or permanent. I realized that I would always have in my life whatever expressed the bounty of God and that supported my practice of prayer and healing – that which is permanent and spiritual.

I remembered this each time I bought a house or car, or even with each marriage. I would ask myself, "Is this just another thing I want? Or does this house or relationship support my spirituality and give me opportunities to serve God and to express good?"

If I could answer yes to the second question, I knew there was no risk of loss. Change and progress, yes. But loss, no.

In fact, husbands, wives, homes, bank accounts, transportation can be an expression of God's provision and care. We can put the arms of prayer around all the elements of good that supports spiritual progress in our lives. But stockpiling material things for one's personal, exclusive benefit is a deadly form of materialism.

One of the "Radical Acts" challenges on Time4thinkers.com is: Sell what you have and give to the poor. One commenter who is striving to put this challenge into practice wrote, "I realized that it wasn’t enough to just sell the stuff that I don’t really care about anymore. But that I needed to sell those things that I still feel have value and worth." Thanks for that, Kate.

I thought of my basement packed to the ceiling with boxes of the last treasures I didn't want to part with after our move - things of value, things I still love. Inspiration blew through me like a cool summer breeze. "Let it all go. Give it all to others who need it."

So I have started distributing. My goal this summer is to empty the basement of everything except the Christmas decor.

Whoa. This is big. And it feels just right.

Beca Lewis link

7/9/2012 04:01:13 am

This is wonderful Michelle ... been doing that same thing myself! Big, and feels just right, as you said!

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:44:35 am

Looks like a lot of us are striving to lighten up and love at the same time!

nancy

7/9/2012 05:19:47 am

My guess is, if they're in the basement, then you have half parted with them already. All that's left to do is sever those last few strings, loose them and let them go. My own experience is that after having done that, quite soon after, I don't even think about them any more, and soon again, I've even forgot I ever had them. It's so liberating!
Someone will be so grateful for your treasures.. Which is doubling the gift in a sense, because in addition to your treasures ,you are giving the person the opportunity to feel gratitude, which is growth in itself.

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:56:28 am

I think a basement can be alot like ones memory. It holds alot of souvenirs - some light and happy, some heavy and burdensome. It can be a dumping spot for the stuff we don't want to think about or deal with. Things with strings.

It isn't always enough to say I will let the stuff go. I have been thinking more about the thought of "selling" as "make a wise exchange". Selling is mental. I am asking myself: Can I see the value in this object, experience, souvenir, relationship - whatever the object represented or represents? Am I willing to accept the growth, the progress, release the attachment, wake up to the new opportunities before me? If so, I am trading up. I am selling - gaining - and prepared to give something of true value.

Better that than simply passing objects from hoarder to hoarder, or basement to basement.

I like that idea of doubling the gift - to give freely, to me, is to unload the object of all attachments, and rejoice in the growth - like Lazarus - "Loose him (it) and let him (it) go!"

Susan in California

7/9/2012 08:05:40 am

Michelle,
I believe this is the answer to inflation and a bad economy, for when we share/sell/give of our abundance, it greases the wheels for others to do the same, and commerce ensues.
But even more, it reflects what God does every day of our lives for us - God who abundantly shares and gives us all we need for the moment.
And imagine "holding on to love" and not sharing it with others!
Mrs. Eddy says: "mortals are hastening to learn that Life is God, good, and that evil has in reality neither place nor power in the human or the divine economy."
Sharing what we have is good, and really fundamental to the practice of Christian Science!
Recently I sold or gave away 90% of what I had accumulated over a period of many years, and then paid to have moved around with me. But I felt right about it, in order to embrace a whole new beginning.
Partly I felt these things identified who I was (family furniture, memories). So in effect, I was hoarding matter, but to what end?
Even when I finished my move, I found that a few boxes of things I wanted to keep were accidentally taken to Goodwill. But rather than cry over it, I just let go of the feeling that I would be deprived of what I needed. In fact in 2 cases, I found the exact same item at a nearby thrift store, in the state into which I moved!
Giving away what we have and no longer need indicates in the most practical way, that we are acknowledging God as the source of all good, who abundantly supplies it, in every moment of time.

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:58:35 am

Great example, Susan. Inspiring, really, for those of us that are doing the same. Thanks so much!

Béatrice

7/9/2012 09:07:02 am

I agree with you and other commentors about the freedom that comes with letting go of things!! ... and I LOVE when you say :
"In fact, husbands, wives, homes, bank accounts, transportation can be an expression of God's provision and care. We can put the arms of prayer around all the elements of good that supports spiritual progress in our lives. But stockpiling material things for one's personal, exclusive benefit is a deadly form of materialism. "

A C.S. practitioner once told us: We may call it 'husband' or 'wife' or 'our house' or 'our bank account' or 'workplace' but these 'things' are always only Love which meets our needs.

Thank you once more for your wonderful posts, dear Michelle!

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:59:28 am

Love that quote, Béatrice. Really adds value to the discussion. Thanks!

Barbara Budan link

7/9/2012 09:41:49 am

Love this post! And yes, perfect reminder for me to detach even more than what has gone on......simplify, feel lighter, move forward!

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 02:00:48 am

Always happy to see you stopped by, Barbara. Thank you!

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:41:50 am

Here is a link to a short story and a song called "Let it go" by Randall Williams that supports this Radical Act. I think it is inspired and I hope you will check it out.

http://time4thinkers.com/randall-williams-let-it-go/

Amy link

7/10/2012 06:49:57 am

Hi everyone -- such great comments...I'm super inspired. I'm a purger by nature...I don't have much trouble giving most things away (though I admit I'm not ready to part with things I just got out of storage--there for almost 15 years!--that were my mother's.

One of my most satisfying giveaways was when there had been massive tornadoes and destruction in the south and someone from my daughter's school was driving a big truck down with clothing and supplies. I'd just given away bags of unwanted clothing so I didn't have things at the ready that I didn't want. So I gave what I did want. I gave what I treasured and it made me feel great to think that someone would appreciate these things even more than I did.

I learned a great lesson years ago about "stuff." I'd inherited a red velvet antique chair from my mom's mom when she passed on. It came directly to me from her. It stayed in the room I grew up in after I moved out to go to college and grad school. Then my mom died and my dad remarried. And then he divorced and remarried again. This new wife didn't want any of my stuff or my mom's stuff in the house and I had to take it or give it away. But she wouldn't relinquish the red chair. It was crazy. My dad didn't step in and back me up and I was so upset about it.

Then my husband asked me why I wanted that chair so badly. I told him that it was because that chair reminded me of my grandmother and made me think of all the good times we'd had in her home. And he said, but nothing can take away those memories and feelings and in fact, the chair can detract from them because you're focused on an object. And that was that. I just didn't care anymore. I eventually got the chair after my stepmother passed on and I freely gave it away.

I hope you'll join us on Radical Acts this summer. You all have so many great things to share and I know your experiences will inspire others to great Radical Acts...because that's the point. :)

nancy

7/10/2012 10:06:12 am

Amy, I know what you're talking about! My father remarried and everything even hinting of my mom was no longer welcome in the house.
Also--you beat me to making just that point: things can be symbols, loaded with memories, of a happy event, of a loved relative, you name it. But that's just what they are--nothing more than symbols and the ideas behind them, the love they express, can't be lost. So when we "give up" something, actually we get to keep what's most important. And not to forget--where your treasure is, there is your heart also.

Michelle Nanouche

7/11/2012 12:51:22 am

Helpful, ladies!

Amy

7/10/2012 06:55:54 am

Michelle -- the link you have for time4thinkers above is incorrect. We use the numeral 4. :)

Michelle Nanouche

7/10/2012 01:49:15 pm

Thanks, Amy. I will fix it. But the link is live and takes people to the correct site in the meantime.

Barbara

7/10/2012 02:37:10 pm

Loved the lyrics to Let it Go.
Facing the possibility of storage or letting (even more!) go. Love the comments, especially "where treasure is..." Helps decision of how much more needs to be let go.
Thank you!

Michelle Nanouche

7/11/2012 12:49:02 am

Here is a link to my personal Facebook page. If you scroll down, you will find a link to a poem called "The Answer." I think it is a terrific poem. It helps with those decisions we all need to make to sell, give and grow spiritually, I think. (The site that owns the poem only allows five links in from a website and I already have five here on mine. So I can only get you there for free by linking through Facebook. But my page is accessible to everyone.)

https://www.facebook.com/michelle.nanouche

Scroll down to "The Answer"

Barbara

7/11/2012 01:50:48 am

Love the poem!

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