There's an SNL weekend update sketch that is done every couple weeks, in which an actor plays a "political comedian" who takes news paper headings and just sort of rambles on about them without ever really saying anything, "You know, the thing is... It's just not every day you see a.... I really don't believe that there's any relation between this and.... I just wish the world could learn to accept or deal with this... You know, it's not so much a problem as a conflict of interests...etc."
The speechlessness of the comedian is funny because he really doesn't say anything of value, but he does seem sort of overwhelmed by the headlines in his not saying anything... He's not quite sure how to approach it.
In Mark 10 a man comes to Jesus and asks what he must do for eternal life. Jesus first asks the man what it means to be good, and the man sort of equates himself with God by saying that he himself is good because he has kept the commandments. Jesus says that despite his adherence to the first law of Moses, he is lacking one thing...
The "one thing" is this:
"go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
The "one thing" is this:
"Sell and give and follow me"
The "one thing" is this:
"Sell and give" AND "follow me"
The "one thing" is that he needs to follow Jesus, but Jesus shows him, and us, that the following of Jesus is dependent or is evident by the "sell and give." Not belief, but faith as evidenced by philanthropic, humble, selfless, uncomfortable works.
The man, being rich, walked away from Jesus.
The man, being rich, could not follow Jesus.
And when we, being rich, read this passage we focus on the dependent clause of following and we explain it by belief.
We give ourselves a dishonest answer.
Instead of ending our richness and promoting the well-being of others, we justify our richness:
"You know thing thing is... I just.... I need my car to get to church... I need the third guitar in case the second one breaks so I can keep worshipping God.... I can follow Jesus and be rich... I'm not that rich... I don't LOVE money..." (this has been my own thinking in the past).
What we are really saying is, "You know the thing is... I just... No..."
It is not possible to serve two masters.
It is unrealistic for a rich person to expect to enter the Kingdom of God.
I admit I am rich, and I don't know how to solve that problem, but am working to simplify my life so that I may give more willingly. For those who have nothing can also give everything, but those who have everything, are unable to give.
More to come.
