Recently, I have found myself reflecting on Jesus’ conversation with the rich young ruler in Mark 10. It is one of those passages that quietly returns to our hearts and asks us to consider not only what we believe, but how we live.
When the young man asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life, Jesus looked at him and, as Scripture tells us, “Loved him” before speaking words that were both challenging and gracious. Jesus was not merely addressing the man’s possessions; He was inviting him to trust God more deeply than he trusted anything else.
As believers living in North America and other affluent parts of the world, these words can prompt us to pause and reflect. Researchers have noted that while Christians comprise roughly one-third of the world’s population, they collectively possess a majority of the world’s wealth.
Likewise, economists estimate that someone earning $25 per hour in the United States falls within the top 5 percent of income earners globally. These observations are not meant to produce guilt or shame, but rather perspective. They remind us that many of us have been entrusted with resources beyond what most of the world’s population could only imagine.
The Scriptures consistently remind us that what God entrusts to us is not merely for our own comfort, but also for the blessing of others. Throughout the Bible, God’s heart for the poor, the vulnerable, the widow, the orphan, the stranger, and those who suffer is unmistakable. Jesus Himself identified with “the least of these” and called His followers to do the same.
This truth becomes especially vivid when we consider the brothers and sisters we serve through Living Stones International.
I have thought often about our brothers and sisters in Morocco. Many of the believers there have come to faith from Muslim backgrounds. Following Jesus has cost them dearly. Some have lost relationships with family members. Others have faced interrogation, social rejection, or the constant fear of exposure.
And yet they continue to gather quietly in homes, share the gospel with courage, and care for one another sacrificially. They often ask us not merely to pray for their safety, but more importantly, that they would remain faithful to Christ.
These brothers and sisters do not make us feel guilty for what God has entrusted to us. Rather, they invite us to consider a deeper question: How can we use what God has given us for His Kingdom and the good of His people?
The rich young ruler walked away, sorrowful, because he could not imagine releasing what he held so tightly. By contrast, many of our persecuted brothers and sisters, though they have little, model for us what it means to hold everything with open hands. Their lives testify that Christ Himself is their treasure.
Perhaps the question Jesus asks each of us is not, “How much do you have?” but rather, “Do you trust Me with all that you have?”
As we pray for persecuted believers around the world and seek to care for the poorest of the poor, may God give us hearts that are both grateful and generous. May He help us to see our resources not primarily as possessions to protect, but as gifts to steward. And may we learn from our suffering brothers and sisters what it truly means to treasure Christ above all else.
Thank you for praying, giving, and remembering those who suffer for the name of Jesus. Your faithfulness is a beautiful expression of the body of Christ caring for one another across every border, language, and circumstance.
Blessings,
Brother Dave
A Servant to the Body of Christ