Sometimes we lead our everyday lives on automatic pilot. Get up, make the bed, drink coffee and feed the cat. But then we walk into church one day and hear something that seems to shout our name, and we get shaken up.
For me, it’s the scene where a rich young man asks Christ about getting into heaven. When Christ asks him whether he obeys the commandments, the man says yes, but asks what more he can do.
The answer reverberates down through the centuries. “If you want to be perfect, go sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.”
I imagine the guy feeling a chill down his spine, as he reacts mentally. “What!? Sell my stuff and give away the money? But that’s so extreme, isn’t it?” We’re told the fellow didn’t say a word, just walked away, looking sad.
Next, Christ utters a challenging comment, which stuns the disciples, who grew up in a culture like ours, where wealthy people are admired. He compares the chances of a rich man entering heaven to a camel squeezing through the eye of a needle.
In a world where money opens many doors, we might believe it unlocks the gate to heaven, but think again.
After all, Christ turned everything upside down, when he said the meek would inherit the earth, and the first would end up last. He also praised people whom others scorned --the clean of heart, the poor in spirit and the persecuted.
This rabbi and his disciples walked the dusty roads with few possessions and no dwelling place. “The son of man has nowhere to rest his head.”
Prosperity gospel folks might find this passage with the young man especially tough. They believe wealth shows God’s favor, but Jesus suggests it can impede our spiritual journey.
The disciples are so shaken up by the camel comparison, they ask Christ who can be saved. HIs succinct reply sums up the Christian faith: “With God all things are possible.”
It’s usually assumed the young man never returned, but we can imagine a different ending. Some scholars suggest he went home and told his puzzled parents he wanted to ditch his possessions –and follow this rabbi. After all, God can change any heart, even one attached to riches.
God invites us into a relationship with him, but some make excuses. “My job keeps me too busy and my house is being renovated. Let me get back to you.” Others take the invitation seriously and make immediate changes in their lives.
This gospel encounter makes some Christians, including me, uncomfortable, because it threatens our deeply held assumptions. We think of money as security, but this story suggests wealth can become a liability, when we use it selfishly.
What do I value most in life? Buying pricey cars, taking glamorous vacations and outshining others? Or helping others and finding the pearl of great price, which is the kingdom of heaven?
Clinging too tightly to possessions can prevent us from holding on to God. Fortunately, there’s always hope for changing our hearts, because with God, all things really are possible.
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