Mark 10:20- 22 "Teacher," he declared, "all these I have kept since I was a boy." 21 Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said. "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." 22 At this the man's face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”
Mark 10:20 continues the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler, as Jesus continues His attempt at directing this young man in the path of life. It is obvious that this man is a good man, a righteous man. His response to Jesus is that he has kept all of the commands of God since he was a boy. How many of us can say this? It is clear that he has a desire to live pleasing, but there is a deeper root that Jesus discerns.
Verse 21 is a moving verse as it goes beyond the necessary description of Jesus’ response to the boy. In this verse we can see the heart of Jesus being exposed in a wonderful way. It says “Jesus looked at him and loved him.” What a revelation of the heart of Jesus! Jesus sees this young man. He sees the stronghold that is separating him from breaking through into the life of discipleship that will fully realize his desire to belong to God. And yet Jesus looks at him and loves him! Jesus sees the things that are holding him back and yet loves him. This story is for us! Can you embrace the fact that Jesus sees you and everything that holds you back from a deeper, more complete response to God and He still loves you!!!??? He looks at you just the way you are and He loves you! Wow! He is not angry at the young man’s condition. Yes, He is saddened by it. But the young man is not rejected, he is loved! You are loved!
Without verse 21 as the foundation the rest of this encounter cannot be fully understood. The correction of Jesus that He speaks into this young man’s life can only be rightly interpreted when it is interpreted through this lens of love! The correction of Jesus when He finds a good heart is the always rooted in love! Jesus speaks to this young man, in full light of the man’s good intentions and addresses the lack that continues to limit his response to God! “One thing you lack” Jesus says. “Go, sell everything you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, and follow me.”
Jesus brings this young man to a crisis point that reveals the sticking point in this young man’s life. The wealth that he has always known becomes a barrier to his ability to respond to God. Based upon the encounter that has taken place there are a number of attachments that are associated with the wealth that is holding this young man captive. To let go of a life of privilege and comfort is a challenging shift into a life of faith and surrender. He has grown up having, and to trust Jesus for his future is a bigger step than he is prepared for.
Within this confrontation is also an exposing of an issue of pride. The introductory comments that the boy makes about his life of obedience reveal the possibility of a root of pride that is also attached to this life of wealth. It may have been hard for the young man to conceive of letting go of his material wealth. But possibly even harder for him was the thought of letting go of the sense of identity and false assessment of worth that he has created for himself because of his wealth. Many people measure themselves, their value, their worth, based upon their standing in society, their wealth, their fame. Perhaps it is really this that Jesus is seeking to dislodge from the man’s heart. Perhaps what Jesus is exposing is that this man has wrapped his identity around his position and Jesus is trying to create a new identity for this man. It is as if Jesus is seeking to help this young man break free of his attachment to this life of wealth as the source of his value and being. It is as if Jesus is saying “you are not loved because of what you have, your title or your position. You are loved because you are mine! Give these things away. Break their hold on your sense of who you are. Give those things to the poor who really need them and follow me!”
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