October 9, 2011: Young Rules, Dromedaries, and Needles – Michael Hidalgo

There is nothing wrong with being rich. It is was can happen to those who acquire wealth. We can become slaves to it. Instead of owning it – it can own us. This is the reminder that God gives to his people in Deuteronomy 8 when he warns them never to think that they have created their wealth, but to remember that God is the one who has given it to them. 

 

In this story we meet a young, wealthy, influential person who lacks one thing – the ability to walk away from his money. In his exchange with Jesus we see that Jesus loves him. He is not mad, he does not roll his eyes, he does not condemn, rather he loves. He tells the man to give it all away – why? Because you can’t enter the kingdom with all sorts of attachments – which asks the question, “How many times do we walk away from the loving gaze of Jesus?”