John Lynch

Luke 10: 17 -31 (NIV)

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.”

Reflection:
While the rich young man at the center of this passage is often portrayed as an arrogant figure because of his unabashed belief that he has kept the commandments since his youth, I like to think of him in a little more flattering light.  I see a young and successful person, steeped in faith, who has steadfastly tried to adhere to the law.  He is serious about life and serious about his faith.  But, in spite of his wealth and righteousness, he knows he is missing something – something important.  Even more remarkable is that he knows it’s Jesus who has the answer.  When the opportunity arises, he runs up to Jesus and falls to his knees.  At least for a moment, pride and position melt away and we see a seeker.  From his knees he asks:  “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

He tells Jesus he has kept the commandments since he was a boy (a pretty bold claim).  Still, the young man knows there is something more.  Scripture tells us that “Jesus looked at him and loved him.”  How awesome is that? Jesus sees through the pride and plainly sees all his dedication and potential. He also sees the one thing the man lacks – the impediment that stands between him and life abundant.  He tells the man: “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”  The man’s response is, of course, heartbreaking. 

I often wonder what he expected to hear from Jesus when he knelt before him.  If he is like me, he was seeking affirmation —  a pat on the back for a life well-lived and maybe some gentle guidance.  Instead, Jesus asked for radical change. Jesus makes it clear we cannot achieve eternal life on our own. Steadfastly following the law is not enough.  Jesus wants us to be true followers and that requires removing the impediments that stand between us and surrendering to Christ. For the rich man, his wealth was the impediment to surrender.

This encounter with Jesus raises an obvious question. If I kneel before Jesus today and ask “what must I do,” what would the response be? How radical would the response be? What impediments would Jesus say need to be removed before I can be a true follower? Must I be like the apostles who “left everything” to follow Jesus?

It takes courage to ask the question. But, I take comfort in knowing that when I kneel before Jesus, he looks at me and loves me. He wants me to inherit eternal life. And, when I ask the question “what must I do,” whatever path he sends me down, I can be confident in his words “all things are possible with God.”

Prayer:
Lord, how awesome is it that today you are looking at me and loving me and that you want me to inherit eternal life.  I want to follow you.  Lord, show me the things in my life that are impediments to me surrendering to you and give me the wisdom and strength to work on removing them. Amen.