I wish Jesus didn't say that

Luke 8:16-18 NASB

"Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see the light. "For nothing is hidden that will not become evident, nor anything secret that will not be known and come to light. "So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

My thoughts -

Go ahead and put this the "I wish Jesus didn't say that" file.

"Whoever has, to him more shall be given"?

"Whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away"?

I don't like the sound of that.

So what is Jesus saying here? This passage immediately follows his explanation of the parable of the sower. The particular lines I find discomforting come after two warnings. The first, whatever you do will eventually be known. There aren't any secrets. Everything comes into the light.

The second, be careful how you listen. What does that mean? The language here in the NASB is "take care how you listen". What about other translations? In the NIV it's "consider carefully how you listen". In the King James it is "take heed therefore how ye hear".

Of course if we're looking at how we listen or hear in proximity to the parable of the sower then I start wondering again about being good or rocky soil. Are we fertile ground to receive the Word of God?

Do the worries and distractions of this life prevent us from receiving the Word? Is our faith weak enough that when trouble comes, though we have received the Word, we can not rely on God and turn away? Are we too proud to subvert our own will and do God's will? Do we receive the Word with no intention of changing? Do we have hardened hearts?

This warning strikes me because at times all of these things are true of me. I am worried. I am distracted. I am proud. I can be some pretty rocky ground if I decide to be. I can harden my heart and nothing can bend it. I can be granite if I'm in the mood to be.

Maybe that's why this bothers me so much:

"(W)hoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him."

What is it Jesus is referring to when he says "even what he thinks he has"? If I think I have a nice comfortable relationship with my buddy Jesus and it turns out that Jesus was less interested in being my buddy than being my Lord, do I lose that relationship that I think I have? How terrifying a thought is that? If we make God in our own image and it turns out that God isn't like that at all do we lose our image of God? Do we lose our idols? Do we lose our religion? Could that be what Jesus is saying?

I don't know. I wish I had direct access to Jesus. I wish I could ask and get a direct answer. But God doesn't work that way. God came near once in Jesus. Jesus died and was resurrected and ascended into Heaven sending the Spirit to us. But the Spirit seems to prefer mystery, wonder, and a still, small voice. Sometimes I would prefer clarity and a megaphone. But the ones screaming in the megaphone don't speak for God. They just want their own voice to be heard.

The best I can do is to honestly pray,

Jesus, help me to humbly listen to you. Help me to be still and fertile ground for your Spirit's still, small voice. Help me to understand and to do your will and not my own.

Amen