Garry’s provocative question ‘Are you wearing golden handcuffs?’ led to a very thought-provoking sermon tonight. In the past, farmers and hunters used monkey traps to capture monkeys, creating a hole in a gourd or coconut into which they would stuff nuts and sweets. The monkey would put its hand into the hole to get the goodies, but then would be unable to remove its hand from the trap and would be effectively ensnared because it didn’t want to let go of the good things inside. This was not a physical trap, but was an effective psychological trap, with the monkey not being willing to relinquish the ‘good’ things in order to maintain the better goal of freedom.

In business, a ‘golden handcuff’ is the term used to describe benefits, typically deferred payments or incentives like cars or health benefits, provided by an employer to discourage an employee from taking employment elsewhere. These benefits are not actual handcuffs, but they can cause people to feel trapped in situations because they do not wish to give up something good in order, perhaps, to achieve something better…

In Matt 16:24-28, Jesus describes how anyone can be a disciple or follower, walking in His footsteps. This path involves self-denial, but Jesus makes what to us seem unbelievable offers: the power to do the things He did, to do even greater things! (John 14:12-14) He speaks to the ‘anyone’, to the ‘whoever’; these promises are not for a select few, the special ones, the initiated, but to all who follow and who choose His ways over every other. In Acts 19:11-12, we see how this was fulfilled in Paul’s ministry (when people were healed after handkerchiefs had simply touched him!) This has continued through the ages: Smith Wigglesworth, for example, was used by God to do amazing miracles of healing in England, USA, Switzerland and Australia.

God has amazing things for us to do… but if we are wearing golden handcuffs, holding on to other things in our lives which may not be wrong in themselves but which prevent us from taking hold of God’s promises, we will never see and take hold of the miraculous. Like the monkey, we have to give something up that seems so desirable in order to walk in the freedom God offers us. As Jesus reminded us, the cost of discipleship is to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him. It’s our choice. The golden handcuffs are not real handcuffs. We are free to walk in the way Jesus walked… but only if we value Him more than anything else.