“So listen carefully, for whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has will be taken from him” (Luke 8:18). The phrase what he thinks he has is important because it is not what a person thinks he has that is important but whether he actually has something or not. Jesus describes the person who does not heed His word as having nothing. The person who has nothing loses even that which he thought was something but was not. In other words, he has absolutely nothing at all. Jesus’ teaching must be taken seriously.” (NET Bible, Luke 18:18)
“At times…we are caught in the violent storms and raging seas of this uncertain world. Though we do everything in our power to save ourselves, it is not enough. But instead of turning to God and putting our faith entirely in Him, we think we have one lifeboat left that will save us. It may be our bank account, our education, our work skills, our friends, our reputation, etc. But unless we stop clinging to this leaky lifeboat, we cannot grasp the mercy of God in these desperate moments. The Psalmist said, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). When we put everything we have and are in the hands of God, then we have the peace that His will shall be done and that He will use our adversity for our good.” (Fr. Basil)
“As long as we are struggling to be Christlike, we are assuredly tasting of the Fountain of Immortality. When the struggle ends and the growth ceases, the Kingdom disappears. It is nowhere to be found. The moment we think we have achieved something, that we have earned our place, then we have lost the Kingdom. Our struggles are meaningless without Christ, and vice versa: without struggles, we are meaningless, because we will lose Christ. Our Lord is only with those who need Him. When we lose our daily need for Him, then our souls become satisfied with the world. A man who does not hunger does not eat, and so one who does not hunger for God cannot partake of His goodness. This is why the Church has always urged us to participate in spiritual exercises like fasting and almsgiving, that we might stir up within ourselves the hunger for God. This hunger, this desire for God, will draw us closer to Him. This is why Christ urges us to take up our crosses and follow Him. We ought not to seek after a life of ease, but rather boldly face our burdens with the confidence that in our suffering, we will be visited and comforted by Christ Himself.” (Metropolitan Joseph)
“For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away” [Luke 8:18]….God will give more and more to His faithful servants, but He will give less and less to those who do not believe in him…All God asks is that man remains faithful. God will reward man in due time. God not only tolerates us, He gives us blessing and beauty. Because of this alone we should struggle. At the very least, for this alone we should love, because He first loved….we are constantly forgetting the fearful Day when we must stand before our Creator and give answer. Instead, we waste time in fear of the day at hand, petty politics, ill health, worldly cares, and death. What we should fear is showing up short when the talents are tallied.” (Fr. Joseph Honeycutt)
“The problem with comfort based on having enough is that we can develop a false sense of peace and well-being, meaning that we think we have a healthy spirituality and relationship and knowledge of God, but it is too much a product of a false sense of security. Just ask anyone who considers themselves persons of faith and who have had enough money and good health and then have a major financial or health crisis. The way they will describe their relationship and knowledge of God before and after will be very different.” (Sacramental Living Ministries)
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