DAY THIRTY – Tuesday, April 5, 2022
Matthew 19:16-30
There is a whole lot going on in this passage! The first image that jumped out at me is the rich young man asking: “What can I do to have eternal life?” Our protestant tradition has emphasized that all the doing in the world is not going to allow for us to have eternal life. Instead it is by the grace of God that we enter and are enabled to live in the kingdom of heaven. I appreciate the simplicity of Jesus’ reply: keep the commandments. Of course, these commandments are by no means simple to adhere too, but they are a very helpful and life-giving standard against which we can hold up our lives. It is interesting that the rich young man wanted to do more than follow the commandments, he wanted to be a “super disciple”. Jesus calls it as he sees it and notes, well, if it is perfection you are after, then give away everything you have to the poor. I wonder if it was easier for the rich man to keep the commandments because he was rich and righteous? Jesus’ ultimate challenge was to give up his safety net and put all his trust in Jesus. The realistic disciples noted, “Wow, with these kind of standards, none of us will be getting in.”
Jesus at once challenges us, setting the bar high, all the while offering us the safety net of his grace. And how do we experience that grace and mercy in our lives? By giving our lives to him.
The last paragraph of the passage gets me thinking about a pecking order in the kingdom. It looks like the spiritual greats will be asked to help judge the rest of us. I wonder who that will be? We might be very surprised indeed who Jesus chooses to look deep into our hearts. The homeless, the outcast, the “least”? Perhaps they are and will be the best to judge who or what we truly follow.
Elaine Hall
Matthew 19:16-30
There is a whole lot going on in this passage! The first image that jumped out at me is the rich young man asking: “What can I do to have eternal life?” Our protestant tradition has emphasized that all the doing in the world is not going to allow for us to have eternal life. Instead it is by the grace of God that we enter and are enabled to live in the kingdom of heaven. I appreciate the simplicity of Jesus’ reply: keep the commandments. Of course, these commandments are by no means simple to adhere too, but they are a very helpful and life-giving standard against which we can hold up our lives. It is interesting that the rich young man wanted to do more than follow the commandments, he wanted to be a “super disciple”. Jesus calls it as he sees it and notes, well, if it is perfection you are after, then give away everything you have to the poor. I wonder if it was easier for the rich man to keep the commandments because he was rich and righteous? Jesus’ ultimate challenge was to give up his safety net and put all his trust in Jesus. The realistic disciples noted, “Wow, with these kind of standards, none of us will be getting in.”
Jesus at once challenges us, setting the bar high, all the while offering us the safety net of his grace. And how do we experience that grace and mercy in our lives? By giving our lives to him.
The last paragraph of the passage gets me thinking about a pecking order in the kingdom. It looks like the spiritual greats will be asked to help judge the rest of us. I wonder who that will be? We might be very surprised indeed who Jesus chooses to look deep into our hearts. The homeless, the outcast, the “least”? Perhaps they are and will be the best to judge who or what we truly follow.
Elaine Hall
