8All who have come before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep have not listened to them.
Jesus is different. His goals and the actual outcome for His followers is very different from other religious teachers. He brings full life. Others bring a draining of all types of resources. When Jesus is present there is an enriching process that takes place. People leave fuller than when they came. Today’s verse points directly at the religious leaders of Jesus’ day. Their goal was self-enrichment. When the Pharisees showed up, people put their hands over their wallets in protection. This is kind of like when politicians enter the room, we know they are going after more of our money! Their stated goal is to help us, but it always ends up costing us more of our money. A good question to ask to determine goals and motives is this: who is getting rich in this process and who is getting robbed? I am not for taxing the rich or taxing the poor for that matter. The sinfulness of greed is the downfall of capitalism, but taxing does not solve the sin problem. It just makes the impersonal government an additional sinner in the mix. The problem is the human heart, not the wealth of the wealthy. Jesus-followers are concerned for those around them who do not have, for the poor, the orphans and widows. Jesus came to bring full life. Who is being enriched by your life? Do you add to your world or subtract from it? Are you pouring into other people, or being poured into? Jesus protects, heals, and enriches those who are true followers. And His true followers do the same in their world. If you don’t, then perhaps you are a thief and a robber.
The Arnold Journey 