Richard Ethun, proud husband of Karen, father of Elizabeth, Angela and Cecilia, member of St Luke’s for 30 plus years, GoodWill Sunday School Class teacher, Sinner and Saved by Grace
Matthew 19:16-22
16 Then someone came to him and said, ‘Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?’ 17And he said to him, ‘Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.’ 18He said to him, ‘Which ones?’ And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; 19 Honour your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 20 The young man said to him, ‘I have kept all these; what do I still lack?’ 21Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22 When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

Reflection:
Several weeks ago at 4:45 on a Monday morning, I swung out of bed and began my week. I’ve always been an early riser and that day, like every day, was no different. I have a morning routine that includes meditation, scripture, prayer, and the day’s ablutions. I get dressed and head to the office. And every morning part of my prayer includes thanking God for all my blessings. I am one blessed guy. I go to my office in a high-rise building not seven minutes from my house.  Which means, of course, that I have a job and income. We have a lovely home with beautiful furnishings in a nice, safe neighborhood. Our family has four living generations of successful, caring and loving members who get along and so enjoy being in one another’s company. We have a second home on a beautiful lake in the Hill Country of Texas. Did I mention that I was blessed?

It was in this frame of mind that later that morning I encountered a young man coming out of a building in midtown Houston. As I held the door for him, I uttered my standard, “How’re you doing?”, as a way to fill the air in case he forgot to thank me for being so polite in holding the door. And his reply was quick and to the point, “I’m blessed!” He didn’t look blessed. His frayed cuffs, worn shoes, and general bearing said, hard times, few opportunities or prospects. I was blessed. He was struggling. I was touched by his faith and spirit but thought no more about him until later in the week when I read the story of Jesus and the Rich Young Man in the Gospel of Matthew.

This same story is repeated almost verbatim in all three of the Synoptic Gospels—Matthew, Mark, and Luke. I have never liked this story because I always felt uncomfortable and a bit put out that Jesus seemed to be throwing shade at people like me who feel blessed by our success. But as I read this passage again, the same passage I have read many times over many years, I remembered the young man I had encountered earlier in the week who felt he was blessed and then I saw something in the Gospel story I had never noticed before.

Remember the story with me, the young man or ruler asked Jesus what he needed to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus replies with a question as to what the commandments say, to which the young man says, “which ones,” and Jesus lists five of the ten commandments. When he replies that he has already done all those, then Jesus tells him to zero out his bank account, give it to the poor and follow him. The young man goes away because he had a lot of stuff.

Then I thought of my stuff, what if like Job, everything I thought was evidence of God blessing my life was taken from me—money, job, homes, cars, family. Would I, like the young man in Midtown, feel blessed? Could I sing praises to God in the midst of the congregation? I don’t think so. And this is when it hit me. Jesus did quote five of the ten Commandments and left out the first four commandments and, by his own words, the greatest of them—God. The first 40% of our rules to live by deal with God and our relationship with him. Without God in our lives, it doesn’t matter what boxes we check off, what good deeds we do, what rules we follow, or what earthly successes we enjoy—without God, we cannot inherit eternal life.

My blessings come at the sunrise and the sunset, at my sight and breath, at moments in the midst of family, friends, and those I’ve yet to meet. My blessings come from God’s love and that of His Son, Jesus. At the presence of the Holy Spirit and the lift, I feel so often in its presence.  And so I saw God’s grace. Nothing I have done or could ever do will earn me a moment of God’s grace. In spite of what I have done in life, God loves me. Like my brother with the frayed cuffs and worn shoes, we are loved and accepted just as we are. So am I blessed? Yes. Yes, I am.

Prayer:
God of Grace and Glory, I know you love me not because of who I am, but who you are. Your grace and the love of your Son, Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit are enough. Thank you.  In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.