As for properties, houses, and valuables, they have to be sold. Anything special should be sold. Properties, houses, as well as other forms of tangible assets such as jade, antiques, and calligraphy collections must be sold. After they are sold, the proceeds should be given to the poor.
In regard to the rest of your belongings, whatever you need to keep to take care of your daily necessities does not have to be sold. Yet you must have the attitude that all of God’s children can share all of these things with you. Let me tell you something about myself. You can take this as a joke. For about twenty years, I have had the habit of buying everything in quantity, half a dozen or a dozen at a time. Some brothers wonder why I always buy in quantity. For example, when I buy a pair of sunglasses, my intention is, of course, to use them. Yet I also pray, “God, since You intend to supply me with sunglasses, please supply me with six pairs.” I do not have peace unless I pray this way. Then when a brother in need comes along, I give him a pair. If another brother comes along, I give him another pair. I give away five pairs and keep one for myself. In this way I keep my peace.
If I buy pocketknives, I always buy a dozen. If I buy razors, I always buy a case of twelve dozen. I do this because if I only buy one, it will have the flavor of doing something for myself. But if I give one to you when you come, and I give another to another brother when he comes, there is a much sweeter flavor to the whole purchase. Of course, I cannot give to a thousand or a million people. But by giving away a little, the flavor becomes different. If I buy a dozen pocketknives, and eleven brothers come to me, I can give each of them one. I can keep the last one, and God will probably give me the liberty to use it freely. If I do not do this, there will always be a nagging feeling that I am keeping something for myself. Those who have stayed with me for any length of time know what I am saying. Whenever I go shopping, I always buy in dozens. But I do not use in dozens. Once I let go of my possessions, there is a sweet flavor to whatever I do.
We should learn not to hold on tightly to our own possessions. I believe the Lord will not allow me to keep my coat forever. Perhaps tomorrow it will be gone. Since that is the case, I might as well ask the tailor to make a few more for me; then I can give some away. We should try our best to build up this feeling among us. Every time we shop, we should not plan for ourselves only. We should always think of others. We need to shop. I am not saying that we should not shop. But when we shop, we should cultivate this feeling, the flavor of having all things in common. I am not saying that we have to practice the very act of having all things in common. I am saying that we have to keep this principle. Always think of others. We must always uphold the principle of having all things in common.
All new believers should learn this lesson before God. If we have special possessions or objects, we should sell them. All real estate, gold, or silver should be sold. We do not like to see believers owning gold, silver, properties, or houses. Such things always tempt us to take root in the earth.
Yet it is not enough to simply get rid of these things. Many people have sold their properties, but it is hard to borrow a fountain pen from them. It is not easy to be delivered from the world! There are many stingy men in this world. They are stingy, not only in the big things, but in the small things as well. They are stingy in every little item and every little detail.