We are so achievement oriented. From the earliest days we learn to compete, to earn, to produce, to stand out. We're taught personal responsibility and our dreams are fashioned along the lines of "becoming all you can be", and often that means striving for success in our competitive world...career, recognition, money, position. These aren't "bad" things and there certainly isn't anything wrong with hard work and achievement! You might call that the "front door" to a successful life. Many call that the "American Dream". But Jesus had some interesting things to say about another door to success in the book of Mark:
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Mark 10:
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18 And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: 'Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 20 And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth." 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!" 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how difficult 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 a rich person to enter the kingdom of God." 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" 27 Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God."
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The man in the episode with Jesus had walked through the front door to success that so many of us seek to enter. And he had realized significant success. And when it came to spiritual things he also saw them in terms of "doing the 10 Commandments". But he sensed that there was something lacking in all he'd accomplished when he came to Jesus. He was "doing" oriented and he asked what he had to "do" to enter Heaven. So Jesus addressed the need he had to "undo" the closest thing to his heart...the fruit of all his "self achievement". Jesus told him to take the proceeds from his personal ambition, give them to the poor and then do the one thing that would lead to eternal life: "... come follow me".
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The disciples were thrown for a loop by this as Jesus explained that when people build their own empires they can't find God's Kingdom. So God has set about to find us. That really is the only way we enter eternal life...when He finds us and we realize the door we've been walking through doesn't lead to Him. It's a good question to ask ourselves: "How high will my personal empire reach?"
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blessings,
Rob Smith
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"Death is inevitable. Life is a choice!"
John 11:25
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live."
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