I am Wealthy

I am rich. I know many of you are probably laughing at that statement (especially my parents who regularly hear my financial struggles), but its true. In fact, I am extremely rich; and I am speaking of financial wealth.

I have a regular paycheck. Occasionally my bills are paid late or I have to cut things from my budget. Often I can't afford the things that I WANT, but I rarely, if ever, can't afford the things that I NEED.

I have never lived without a flushing toilet. My refrigerator has never been completely empty of food. I have never had to go without electricity or heat. I have always had a bed to sleep in at night. I have never even been without a winter coat.

I am wealthy.

Even if all of those things were taken away from me, living in America keeps me in the wealthy class. If I lost my house, I would still have a place to sleep. If I couldn't afford food, I would still have a place to go to get it. If I didn't have health insurance, every hospital in the city would still be required to treat me, no matter what my ailment was.

If I have an emergency, help is literally a phone call away, at all times.

I am extremely wealthy.

That makes this passage hit my gut hard:

"Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replies. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments." "Which ones?" the man inquired. Jesus replied, "Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and 'love your neighbor as yourself'" "All these I have kept, " the young man said. "What do I still lack?" Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad because he had great wealth.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, "I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" ~Matthew 19:16-24

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for ME to enter into heaven.

Don't worry, I know I am saved, and I KNOW that my salvation doesn't come from my meticulous following of the commandments nor from my lack of physical possessions. My salvation is in Christ and Christ alone.

But there is something in this passage for me. Is my trust in Christ and Christ alone? Does He have ALL of my heart, or am I reserving some of that for other things? The rich man was unwilling to sell his possessions, he was content to do the best he could at being righteous, but not give up everything that he had. He liked certain things in his life and was unwilling to sacrifice them. That kept him from sharing in the sufferings of Christ, which kept him from eternal life with Christ.

So much of my life is about avoiding suffering (that's a post for another day!), but Christ came to earth specifically to suffer. Why am I avoiding the one thing that can draw me into Him the most?? (A little off the subject, I know. I will be writing more about this soon, but I digress....)

I need to let go of all that I am seeking, holding on to, trusting in and loving more than Christ. '

If I'm honest, that means I need to let go of a lot. In fact; everything.