By Allen White
Just then a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, keep the commandments.”
“Which ones?” he inquired.
Jesus replied, “‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.’”
“All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:16-26
Americans are among the wealthiest people in the world – even in this economy. The majority of the world lives on less than $2 per day. We can barely get a decent cup of coffee for that.
Even though most of us haven’t appeared on a show like the “Top 500 million Wealthiest People in the World,” we are a little uncomfortable with these words from Jesus. Do we need to be poor to truly serve Christ?
Some authors like David Platt in Radical challenge us to use our worldly resources to expand the Kingdom and not spend so much on ourselves. While that is certainly biblical, we always need to be careful when we transfer our convictions to other people’s lives. Some Christian leaders have dubbed this the “Poverty Gospel.” The best thing for any of us is to gain a clear sense of what God has called us to do. If we’re not sure, God will direct when we ask.
The dilemma with the rich young ruler who came to Jesus was not that he had money. His issue was that money had him. Jesus encountered many other wealthy people in His ministry, yet He did not challenge them to give up their wealth to follow Him.
Jesus, who is God, is omniscient. He knows everything. Jesus knew that this man didn’t struggle with morality. He kept the Law down to the jot and tittle. The man’s issue was his attachment to his money. Jesus knew this struggle. He knew the man couldn’t follow two masters (Matthew 6:24). For this man to choose Jesus, he had to deny the other love in his life. Sadly, he couldn’t do it.
I’ve known quite a number of wealthy people over the years. Most of them have a great perspective on money, God and generosity. They have money, but money doesn’t have them. But, there are a lot of middle class folks who get caught up in the pursuit of money and (implied) happiness. They are serving a cruel master.
Money may not be your issue. The cheap substitutes for God fall in three categories: pleasure, possessions and prestige. Some people are held back by what others might think about them. Others are caught up in whatever makes them feel good. And, yes, others crave more stuff.
If you don’t think you fall into one of those categories, let me ask you this: what do you do when you’re stressed out? Do you rely on pleasure, possessions or prestige or do you rely on God? Ouch. Vegging out in front of the TV just to “numb out” is a legal, available drug. What should you do?
Read five Psalms and talk to God in the morning. Seriously, I do this most days. It changes my perspective on life, reminds me God is in control, and gives me the courage I need to face the day.
Now, what about all of that money that either has you or you so desperately want? Give it away. The antidote for materialism is generosity. Give a regular tithes and offerings to your church. Help the poor through credible ministries like Water of Life or World Vision. Then, ask God to satisfy the desires of your heart.
What you desire is not a thing or an experience. What you truly desire is a close connection with your Heavenly Father. The world will try to convince you otherwise. We call it advertising. But the things of this world are a poor substitute for all God has in store for each of us.
More from Allen White: allenwhite.org
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Thanks for your post. I appreciate your insights. I find it helpful to read the rich young ruler passage in light of Luke 12. Doing this, I believe, helps us to better understand Jesus' command to sell all.
ReplyDeleteAllen... as always, your daily encouragement is right 'on the money'(pun intended). Thank you for continuing to minister to us with your insights and gift for writing.
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