Am I the Lord of Desire, or Slave?: Understanding ‘Desire’ in the Gospel of Luke

The Gospel of Luke is often called the “Gospel of the Poor.” In this Gospel, we can find many beautiful teachings of Jesus about how to use property well, and furthermore even the so called ‘Abandonment of Property.’ Most of all, it might be difficult to accept the teachings about the Abandonment of Property because it is very peculiar in our society. The Abandonment of Property which Jesus has taught is not just giving money to help poor or to make them live well in a better financial condition. If so, this teaching becomes another established rule of the Christian Church. The core teaching is about the ‘Desire’ of human beings. Jesus considered it not possible to avoid the instinct of Desire with any earthly value. On one hand the teachings of Jesus about Property pierce the rich, but on the other hand they promise the poor redemption. In other words, Jesus emphasized the Kingdom of God through these teachings. The point is not the teachings themselves, but the values the teachings create. The control of Desire is definitely a hard thing, and as a result, sometimes it is very dangerous. Jesus gave a perfect place for Desire in heaven, where there is no more worry about it. “Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Luke 12:33- 34). Am I the lord of desire, or slave?