If I were a rich man.....

A rich man came running up to Jesus inquiring how to inherit eternal life.
I think this is one of the more "known" parables in the New Testament. Mark 10:17-22 says the man ran up to Jesus asking him what to do to inherit eternal life - Jesus goes over the list with him and is told by the man that these rules have all been kept. It then says that Jesus looks at him and "loved him" - then tells him to sell his possessions and come follow him and here we find out that the man is wealthy and therefore walks away sorrowful. What a sad ending! He desired eternal life, Jesus loved him, but............

His possessions meant more to him than heaven - they had laid claim to his heart to a degree where he couldn't give them up.

I am far from rich in a monetary way. Maybe I have a lot of things, but they aren't really worth a whole lot, and my attachment to them beyond liking and enjoying them isn't very strong. And yet this story speaks to me asking me the question; What am I rich in?

My husband -
oh, he makes me feel rich in his love for me.
Our daughter -
I am rich in the blessing she is to me
- they both make me feel rich, because they are above and beyond what I had dreamed of.
Do they mean the world to me? Yes.
Would I give my life for them? Yes.
Are they above God in my life? No - they shouldn't and wouldn't want to be.

What about independence?
Think I have a lot of that. Being on my own early on in life taught me that, it became part of who I am  and is hard to let go of. (so don't tell me what to do or how to do what I do...)

Riches...
Matthew 6:21 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also".

Image!                Status!           Friends!             Past!            Job!           Attention!            Praise!

What we treasure demands our focus, protection, time. It also demands upkeep  -  looking at each of the areas mentioned above, I see all that to be true.

Time to ask...
 What is it that is so very important to us? What, in different ways than money, has made us rich and laid claim on our heart?

Philippians 3:8
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ!"
                                        That is an incredible statement to make!

These words were spoken by Paul the apostle made me take a closer look at what was it that would count as rubbish? What did he walk away from?
He was a Pharisee, a Jew, tent maker, he had authority, esteem, knowledge, status, Roman citizenship by birth, position, reputation, respect among fellow Pharisees for his zealous hunt for the believers following the Way of Jesus.
                                               I'd say he was rich in many ways!


  Are your riches holding you back? -  are you willing to count it rubbish so you may gain Christ?

-b