Inside, Outside, Rightside Up

It's easy to envy the rich and famous. They don't seem to worry about paying the bills, or the daily grind like the rest of us. Sounds pretty attractive, right? Except it can be catastrophic to our spiritual life. Jesus met a rich young man in Mark 10:17-25, who showed us just how strong the hold of riches can be on us. This man was so attached to his physical stuff, that he turned down a chance to
follow Jesus, to join the 12! Now, I wouldn't do that! Would you? Well, if we really think about it, we might have to admit that sometimes we do. Really? How would that even be possible??

The young man's problem may have been that his riches had brought him everything he wanted, all his life. He probably grew up in that position. He may have worked hard for his own fortune as well, and learned how to multiply wealth. For him, that was his only way of looking at the world, and he couldn't imagine how he would function without money to buy what he wanted and people to serve him. But Jesus offered a different kind of certainty: those who follow him "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" (verse 30).

Also, this story is right after that of the little children Jesus blessed. Those kids weren't thinking about how much they had or what tomorrow might bring, They lived a much simpler life, and were happy being blessed by this wonderful rabbi -- what a contrast to this young man!

Now let's expand our thinking -- it wouldn't have to be actual dollars that get in our way, would it? Abilities, position, social status, even spiritual gifts can distract us from humbly surrendering to and following our Savior. But as Paul reminds us, "What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?" (1 Cor. 4:7). Since everything we have is from God, why should we have any problem letting go of any of it to follow Jesus more fully?

The young man had followed God the best he knew, on the outside. But when it came to changing on the inside, he couldn't do it. For you and me, the challenge is the same, especially if we think we already know what the rules are. For us to become like Jesus, our whole way of thinking and reacting has to change, and that's on the inside, and that's work that continues our whole lives. The good news is, the result is worth it: "in the world to come that person will have eternal life." Can you give up what you think you have, in order to gain eternity and all good things with the Lord Jesus Christ?