"selling is something completely different"

After some doubts a few months back, it's been good and reassuring to again be "preaching" about work and "giving freely" (as opposed to "working for a living"). There's been some good discussion at Jesus Manifesto about my three-part essay, "Come to me, all ye who labor for a living." Here's a recent comment from one of those discussions:

Actually, buying and selling are two very different things. We all need food and shelter and physical care, etc. But we find in the world that people who have these things usually will not share them with us if they are not compensated in some way (i.e. they usually demand payment). From many things that Jesus said about money (such as his conversation about taxes) we know that he thought very little of the value of money. So to give people the money they demand was really a very small thing on his part, as it should be a small thing for us. And we receive the things of real value (food, clothing, etc).

Selling is something completely different. Now we put ourselves in the place of demanding money before we will provide the goods or service that others need. We are asking for a contract or agreement to ensure that we will receive as much (or more) in return for anything we give. These things demonstrate an attitude that seems to me goes directly against Jesus' teaching and example. (Unless, of course, we are selling in order to give all the money away, as when Jesus said, "Sell all and give to the poor....")

Also, Jesus' directions to his disciples to accept the food and shelter given to them is quite different from "receiving pay" for their service (which Jesus told them to give "without payment" Mt 10.8). In their visits in towns, they taught and healed very many people (for free) and only received hospitality from one family (according to Jesus' directions). This is not reciprocation or a trade for services rendered. They gave to many people, and some people gave to them, the gifts all determined by the needs of each, not an equal trade or individual deal.

I'll just add that I never characterized any of this as defining sin, or describing any economic system (as I clearly stated previously). This is Jesus setting an example and telling us what perfect love looks like in our interactions with others, many of which are "economic" interactions. He did that all the time, referring to all areas of our lives.

(Oh, and if you wish to discuss [the apostle] Paul's take on this, there's some comments about that after Part 2: click here)

It's also helped remind me of the importance of this, at a time when the work life here can get pretty "market dominated." I'm making a point of staying out of that (the markets, not the work), and maybe helping others see the burdens and pressures they face in a new light.