Discipleship in the Modern Era

No Insurance

Before I came to the Crossroads Presbyterian Church I was serving with Knox Fellowship, an organization dedicated in equipping churches for evangelism. We would hold Faith Renewal Weekends in churches. The weekends would include training in evangelism, prayer, and Bible study. After dinner we would conduct a worship service. We had incredibly talented musicians. Our soloist sang with the Portland Opera. He did not need a microphone even in the large cathedral churches.

Dwayne's trademark song was “His eye is on the sparrow.” When he concluded singing there was barely a dry eye in the church.

During one weekend I talked to Dwayne. I had only gone through chemo for my cancer. My first bone marrow transplant was still a year off. We talked about hospitals, doctors and treatment. Finally one of us mentioned insurance. Dwayne said that he did not have any medical insurance on himself. His wife had a policy through the hospital on her and their children but Dwayne did not have one. Dwayne said, “I am trusting that his eye is on this sparrow.”

A year latter I was home from the hospital recovering from my bone marrow transplant when I recieved a call from the Executive Director of Knox Fellowship. He was going to be in Portland and wanted to swing up and visit me. I asked him what was he doing in Portland. He told me he was visiting with Dwayne’s wife. Dwayne had a stroke and spent 2 weeks in ICU before dying. When I hung up the phone I wondered how the wife of the man who sang “his eye is on the sparrow and he watches over me” would pay for the hospital bill.

There is “unhealthy trust” and there is “healthy trust.” There is “unhealthy faith” and there is “healthy faith.” Dwayne displayed neither. God never promised to protect him from high cholesterol. Even Dwayne’s all natural diet did not guarantee a long and prosperous life, free of disease and illness. In my opinion Dwayne was tempting God, something that even Jesus would not do.

Matthew 4:7 NIV84

Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

This is one passage that those who advocate for a literal interpretation and application of Scripture have to adjust there rules. Dwayne was living out a literal interpretation and it almost bankrupt his wife.

And what does he mean when he says:

Matthew 10:29–30 NIV84

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.

“Does this mean that everything that happens to a sparrow is the will of God? Does this then mean that everything that happens to us human beings is the divine will of God and that we humans are part of a specific and detailed godly blueprint of our lives? Does this mean that God has a specific, detailed plan for our lives (God’s will) and this plan is being carried out in every detail? Who we marry? Where we live? The car we buy? Who we meet today?” http://www.sermonsfromseattle.com/series_a_true_discipleship_GA.htm

The old time Presbyterians once believed that God created a very predestined life his children, so much so that after falling down a flight of stairs the Presbyterian pastor sighed and said, “I’m glad that one’s over.”

Keep your insurance policy

We live in very different times than Jesus and his disciples. Advancements in medicine keep us alive so much longer and so expensive. Unless you and your family are willing to suffer the financial consequences of a complete abandonment of medical care, you would do well to make wise decision when it comes to insurance.

Be assured by his will

Be comforted by his care