As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The disciples were astounded. “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “Humanly speaking, it is impossible. But not with God. Everything is possible with God.” Then Peter began to speak up. “We’ve given up everything to follow you,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that everyone who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or property, for my sake and for the Good News, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the world to come that person will have eternal life. But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then.”

Mark 10:17-31

Dear God, there is something in our nature that wants to “inherit eternal life.” There are some revealing things in this passage about the disciples’ thinking about things. Perhaps they reveal something about our own thinking.

• It seems like we are always worried about what is next as opposed to worrying about what’s now. Wouldn’t a better question for this young man to ask have been, “Good teacher, what must I do to be in complete relationship with God now?” Ironically, Jesus’ answer would probably have been the same. I saw a billboard yesterday on the Interstate that said, “When you die you WILL meet God.” Yes, that’s true, and that’s an interesting threat to give someone while they are driving at 75 mph. And maybe that works on some people. I would prefer to think about being at peace with the God of the universe now and then think about meeting you later.

• The disciples were still in the mindset that everything is easier when you have plenty of money. Now for some things that is definitely true. I am the director of a nonprofit and I always joke that the board meetings are a lot easier when there is plenty of money. But the money only goes so far. My wife and I were talking the other day about a friend who has made plenty of money, but he just uses it to continue to buy toys, vacations, and comfort. The phrase we used (which I learned from a Sesame Street/Cookie Monster sketch when I was little) is that he is looking for “everlasting joy and happiness.” He won’t find it doing what he’s doing. The other thing I’ve learned about giving is that if we don’t do it when we have a little, it is likely that we won’t do it when we have more. It’s an attitude of sacrifice that is learned, and it can be hard for a person who has never done it to give at a significant level when they have more.

Peter exhibits that insecure five-year-old that is inside all of us. Can’t you just hear a parent being critical of a child for not making their bed or cleaning up after themselves and their little brother comes in and says, “I made my bed this morning! I’m good, right?” That’s Peter here, and that insecure child is in all of us.

Father, help me to simply rest in you. I’m in the middle of an extended vacation and I don’t have much practice at this. I don’t feel like I do it very well. But I know that I want to get out of this time what you have for me. So please make me very present in this moment. Help me to rest. Help me to love my wife. Help me to receive love from her. And help me to not miss the opportunities that you put in front of me.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen