The people who came to Joseph for food paid four kinds of prices: their money, their cattle, their land, and themselves. How happy I am that the record in the Bible is so complete! These four items cover all the prices we need to pay today. When we pay with our money, cattle, lands, and ourselves, we receive all four types of supply. The first supply is not as rare or precious as the fourth supply. Each supply is more precious than the previous one, and the last is the most precious of all.

Let us now consider what money signifies. According to a superficial understanding, money is what we depend on. Actually, money represents convenience. The monetary system in this country is very convenient. In Joseph's time the people used silver. They had to carry silver with them and weigh it out when making a purchase. But today when we pay a bill, we simply write out a check for a certain amount. This is very convenient. However, when the supply in our checking account is depleted, we lose this convenience. At such a time we may worry about paying our bills. We all like to have a surplus in our checking account. But what will you do if this supply runs out?

Some are not willing to pay the price for the supply because they are concerned about losing their conveniences. Some may say, "Should I take the way of the church? Surely this way is good, but if I take it, I will lose certain conveniences. My wife or my relatives may be unhappy with me." But the more conveniences you give up, the more life supply you will have. Today's Christians, however, keep their conveniences, but have no life supply. In many cathedrals, chapels, and church buildings people hear messages every Sunday about conveniences. They go to these places to get more conveniences. For them, to take the way of the Lord's recovery is costly and inconvenient. Yes, if you take this way, you will lose your conveniences, but you will gain the supply.

The second item the people had to pay for the food supply was their cattle. It is easy to understand what is signified by cattle. Cattle signifies the means of our living. Joseph's brothers were concerned about their donkeys, worried that Joseph would find some excuse to take them away. Today you may care very much about your automobile. Perhaps you are afraid that it will be stolen. If so, your automobile is your donkey. For those with a doctoral degree, their degree is their donkey. For others their position is their donkey. But Christ, the rich One, the Supplier, is here, and He is neither generous nor stingy. Although He does not want to squeeze anything out of you, for your sake He requires that you pay a price. He will never sell His supply cheaply. After you pay your money, you need to pay with your cattle. Only by handing over your cattle will you receive the second supply. When both our money and our cattle have been handed over to Him, we shall be restful and at peace.

After handing over our cattle, we need to hand over our land. The land represents our resources. The Lord Jesus is a "robber"; He "robs" His lovers of everything. He takes our money, our cattle, and our land. He may say, "Give me your land. Do not keep the resources under your control, but hand them over to me." This is not a teaching, but an observation of what I have seen in the lives of many. Some dear ones were able to pay their money, but not their cattle. Others could give up their cattle, but not their land. Their concept was that the Lord Jesus always gives them things, but never "robs" them of things. But the Lord Jesus in His recovery "robs" us of everything—of our convenience, our means of livelihood, and our resources. If you are willing to give the Lord your lands, you will receive the third supply.