The Eye of a Needle

You may have heard the story in Mark 10 where Jesus encounters a rich young man who wants to be justified. Jesus discusses righteousness and the Law with him, but the real thing that keeps the man from coming to salvation are his riches, his possessions.

Jesus told him to give up on that thing that is holding on to him, like an idol. The man was unwilling and went away sorrowful. Then Jesus says "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God ... 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."

It is true that material possessions can often possess us and make us think that we have no need of a savior for our soul because our physical needs are taken care of. Wealth is like alcohol: it anesthetizes us to reality; we are care free when we should care very much about our eternal state.

But I thought of something else. It's not just material wealth, but wealth of any kind that makes it harder than for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.

Jesus said "blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." There are many things that can make us feel we are rich: philosophy, pleasure, physical prowess, position or power, intellect. Any of these without Jesus can be like idols, making us think like the rich young ruler than we have everything we need and reject anyone who tells us to leave behind that most important thing.

Jesus always seems to go right to the heart of what we serve. Jesus will not have second place because there really is no other place. We can't serve two masters. Why not serve the only real master; the only one that can bring true riches?

Pastor Tom