At that time those seemed extravagant gifts for a young lad. But – translate today into hi-tech toys, computers and computer games and by present spending standards it wasn't much at all!
These days it is possible – so the advertising assures us – to buy presents for the person who "has everything."
On the other side, there are products which are presented as "all you will ever need." We truly want to simplify, yet seem to end up with an old grater, a multi-purpose grater-slicer and a food processor as well. We were persuaded the expensive stackable stainless steel cook set would do it all. Then we heard about folk who cooked everything in a crock-pot. Later we were impressed that cooking in a wok would be tasty, nutritious and would cut down on washing-up. Meanwhile, the microwave had become indispensable!
The problem is by no means limited to the kitchen. I look at my collection of tools – at the "good ideas" I have bought myself or received as presents. The screw-driver with two metal grips to hold the screw until you have it started, the three sets of Allen keys (two of them incomplete, but the third, brand-new, still not having the required size), the fluoro camping light that blew a transistor the first time it was used…
"All you ever need." We are insatiable – never satisfied – and incurable – never learning from experience.
Listen to these words from Psalm 1 –
The Hebrew word for "happy" in this Psalm is ashre and is equivalent to the Greek word, makarios. Weymouth suggested, "People who are blessed may outwardly be much to be pitied, but from the higher and therefore truer standpoint they are to be envied, congratulated, and imitated."
The Psalmist is talking about the truly happy person – not the person who is necessarily full of laughter and joviality all the time.
Probably most of us know the story about the man who went to a doctor in a state of deep depression. The doctor listened to his story and finally said, "I know just the thing for you. There's a circus in town at the moment. If you go to that circus, there is a clown who is just so funny that you will split your sides laughing and forget all your worries." "Doctor," the man said, "I am that clown!" The laughter was only on the surface. Beneath the jovial exterior was a very sad man.
The psalmist is writing about the "root" of real happiness – the theme of v. 3 is expanded by Jeremiah, "They are like trees growing near a stream and sending out roots to the water. They are not afraid when hot weather comes, because their leaves stay green; they have no worries when there is no rain; they keep on bearing fruit" (Jer. 17.8).
The psalmist states where we won't find true happiness – it isn't found in the advice of evil people, the example of sinners or the company those who have no use for God. On the other hand, the truly happy have learnt to trust God, to reflect long and deeply on his Word and to obey his law. These are the ones who have staying power in the hard times.
We all will face hard times some time or another in our lives. That is when the quality of our life is tested – and the roots of our happiness.
Food, clothing, shelter, health… all are basic to our human living, yet, individually and collectively, they do not form the centre-point of our living.
Jesus cared for the poor and needy. He fed the five thousand. His power went out to heal the sick who came from all over Judaea and Jerusalem and Tyre and Sidon "to hear him and to be healed of their diseases." Yet Jesus did not come to earth as the great "need-meeter" from heaven. Elsewhere he made it quite clear that they were not to spend their time worrying about food and clothing – God already knows your need for those things. "Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things" (Mt. 6.33; cf. Lk. 12.31).
The Kingdom of God – knowing God, trusting God, worshipping God, loving God, obeying God – this is "all we ever need". Our other needs are real but secondary. They shouldn't fill all our thinking and activity.
The second part of today's reading is the beginning of what is called the "Sermon on the plain". It was a different occasion from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt. 5-7) and similar teaching sometimes comes over in Luke with a different emphasis.
Whereas the "beatitudes" in Mt. 5 speak about people's spiritual condition, Jesus is here addressing directly the practical physical needs of the people around him. "Happy are you poor; the Kingdom of God is yours! Happy are you who are hungry now; you will be filled! Happy are you who weep now; you will laugh! Happy are you when people hate you, reject you, insult you, and say that you are evil, all because of the Son of Man!" (vv. 20-22).
Specifically, Jesus is "looking at his disciples". Poverty, hunger, sadness, rejection… hardly a recipe for happiness. But the secret is "all because of the Son of Man". They belong to the Kingdom because they belong to the King. The Kingdom is already theirs. Their present experience is hunger and weeping, but they surely "will be filled" and "will laugh".
On the other hand, Jesus addresses others who would also think of themselves as "disciples" – "But how terrible for you who are rich now; you have had your easy life! How terrible for you who are full now; you will go hungry! How terrible for you who laugh now; you will mourn and weep! How terrible when all people speak well of you; their ancestors said the very same things about the false prophets" (vv. 24-26).
The rich, the full, the laughing, the popular… are they really trusting in Jesus? Do they feel any need to trust in Jesus? Jesus was not making a virtue of poverty, hunger, sadness… Jesus was not expressing a preference for the marginalised, as liberation theology would have us believe. Three of the gospels (Matthew, Mark and John) all have Jesus saying, "You will always have poor people with you, but you will not always have me" (Mt. 26.11; Mk 14.7; Jn 12.8).
Those who have, need to exercise their responsibility towards those who have not. Yet the redistribution of wealth is not to be the basic and central passion of our life. The question once again is, what is our response to Jesus? are we seeking to trust him and obey him?
Don't seek ease and popularity. Allow God to be the centre-point of your life. Trust Jesus as the one who has brought you forgiveness of your sins. Acknowledge him as your Lord and live that out in practical ways day by day. In him you will find "all you ever need".
As Psalm 23 begins in the Good News Bible, "The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need."