The Challenge of Being Rich – 24 May 2010

 

Just to show what a good Anglican I am this week’s devotionals are based on the Gospel reading set for each day in the Lectionary exploring some of the teachings and actions of Jesus.  We begin with Jesus’ encounter with the rich young ruler.

The reading set for today is Mark 10:17-27 and it would be great if you have time to read the whole passage.

The young ruler wanted to know how to enter the Kingdom of God .  He told Jesus how he’d lived a good life since he was a youth – surely that would be enough for entry into the Kingdom of heaven.  Jesus looked at him lovingly and told him he would need to give up all his possessions and follow Him.  The young ruler felt unable to do this and left Jesus “sorrowful”.

Jesus said to his disciples “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the Kingdom of God !” Mark 10:23b (NKJV)

Jesus recognised the tension and ultimately the impossibility of having two masters or two priorities, in Luke 16:13 he says “you cannot serve God and money”.

There is nothing wrong with money, there is nothing wrong with being rich – it is the “love of money” which is “a root of evil” (1 Tim 6:10) Paul tells us.

The problem we have is our sinful human nature which means that we always want more money and the more we have the more we want and the less happy we become.  I have only to think of my friends in Beira and remind myself how happy and content they are compared to most of us!

So Jesus points his finger clearly at the problem – when we are rich we find it hard to put God before our dosh!   It’s not impossible for “with God all things are possible” Mark 10:27, but for the rich young ruler, without God, it was impossible.

For some of us it’s a challenge we struggle with – who or what is really no.1 in our lives.