Submitting it all
Mark 10:17-31
17 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
18 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
20 “Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
24 The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25 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.”
26 The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, “Who then can be saved?”
27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
28 Then Peter spoke up, “We have left everything to follow you!”
29 “Truly I tell you,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel 30 will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—along with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”
In this intriguing story, I notice that there is a man who has passion to serve and submit to Christ. He runs up to Jesus and kneels (a submissive act) before him. He recognises that Jesus is wise and he recognises that Jesus has the answers for what he thinks he wants.
As the story continues, it seems like this guy would make a model Christian – he demonstrates self-control and has managed to follow a challenging list of moral standards since his youth.
But then Jesus puts his finger on something that sits below the surface. A less obvious behaviour. Something that this man, when really pressed, puts in a place of importance in his life above God. The Bible sometimes uses the word idol for this stuff.
The longer I think about it, the more I can see myself in the rich young man. I hope that I would never truly turn away from Jesus because I wasn’t able to leave something behind that he has put his finger on, but all the same, I find myself bowing before him, worshipping him with my words and actions, and then still feeling like I struggle to let go of my own idols of productivity, and the appearance of being able to manage a million things and stay on top of them.
While this passage looks like it is about money, it is really about the things that we can put between us and Jesus.
Lord, keep showing me where I fall short in my submission to and honour of you. Help me to lay it all down at the foot of the cross, that I might serve you fully and unencumbered.
Written by Ps. Justin Ware