Reading 30
The rich young man
The reading
Mark 10:17-27
As he was going out into the way, one ran to him, knelt before him, and asked him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except one, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not give false testimony,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and mother.’” He said to him, “Teacher, I have observed all these things from my youth.”
Jesus looking at him loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack. Go, sell whatever you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me, taking up the cross.” But his face fell at that saying, and he went away sorrowful, for he was one who had great possessions.
Jesus looked around, and said to his disciples, “How difficult it is for those who have riches to enter into God’s Kingdom!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus answered again, “Children, how hard is it for those who trust in riches to enter into God’s Kingdom! It is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye than for a rich man to enter into God’s Kingdom.” They were exceedingly astonished, saying to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus, looking at them, said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God, for all things are possible with God.”
The companions
Psalm 49:1-12 (selected)
Hear this, all you peoples. Listen, all you inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. Why should I fear in the days of evil, when iniquity at my heels surrounds me? Those who trust in their wealth, and boast in the multitude of their riches, none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him. For the redemption of their life is costly, no payment is ever enough. For he sees that wise men die; likewise the fool and the senseless perish, and leave their wealth to others. But man, despite his riches, doesn’t endure. He is like the animals that perish.
Amos 5:11-15 (selected)
Therefore, because you trample on the poor, and take taxes from him of wheat: you have built houses of cut stone, but you will not dwell in them. You have planted pleasant vineyards, but you shall not drink their wine. For I know how many your offenses, and how great are your sins, you who afflict the just, who take a bribe, and who turn away the needy in the courts. Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the LORD, the God of Armies, will be with you, as you say. Hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the courts.
The note
He is not hostile. That is what makes this hard. He runs up, kneels, asks a sincere question, and he has kept the whole list since he was young. He came for one more item to complete a record that is already good.
Jesus looking at him loved him, Mark says, and then names the one thing. Sell what you have. Not because owning things is wicked, but because that was the thing holding him rather than the other way round.
He goes away sad. He is one of the few people in the Gospels who hears Jesus clearly and declines.
Your one thing is probably not money and probably not bad. It is more likely whatever you have quietly built your security on: the role, the savings, the reputation, the control over how your day gets spent. Ask what you would refuse, and you will have found it.
This week
Name your one thing, in writing, in a single sentence. Not the answer that sounds good. The real one. The thing you would argue about, negotiate over, or keep without telling anyone you were keeping it.
You are not being asked to give it up this week. Only to stop pretending you do not know what it is. Most people have the true answer in ten seconds and then spend an hour talking themselves out of it.
Scripture quotations are from the World English Bible (public domain). The divine name is rendered “the LORD” in the prophet reading.
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