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Can't get away from it today. God must want to drive home the point. Many feel shamed and should know the grace He longs to give -- the arms that long to hold and protect. But among this current throng:

"You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see." (Revelation 3:17-17)

The enemy would have us believe that the shamed are disqualified from the Lord's service and those with earthly riches have everything they need! Either way, growth is suppressed. Last week, I was processing through Luke 14; this parable is beginning to make sense:

Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’

“But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’

“Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’

“Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can't come.’

“The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’

” ‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’

“Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, so that my house will be full. I tell you, not one of those men who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’ ” (v. 16-24)

I can't get over the line "but there is still room." Jesus isn't grading on a curve. Even though the table has room, the Kingdom is not accepting those that would place their possessions over the feast.

I'm in a predicament. My employer considers me valuable enough to keep my job, even as His work burns on my heart. The prudent thing seems to be to hang on until God provides an out -- after all, if I quit now and the agency goes under later, I receive no compensation. But I have a nagging conviction that this shouldn't be my primary consideration. If Jesus were to say, "Follow me," and I told Him to wait until the nets were empty, would there still be a place at the table when my task is complete? Am I clinging to my earthly security and using "wisdom" as a crutch?

Crap. I think I've answered my own questions.