Sometimes I think I picked the wrong profession. Don’t get me wrong, ministry is great and I love what I do. It’s just not as lucrative as, say, working on the Slope. If I’m honest, it’s difficult not to be envious of all the shiny things my neighbor has. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like to not worry about money.
I take some comfort and plenty of challenge from a story from Mark 10 in which Jesus essentially points out that “money isn’t everything.” A rich man comes up to Jesus asking, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?” He’s sincere and Jesus is said to look at him with love, but the fact of the matter is that this man is misguided. For one, you can’t inherit life with God by doing anything — not even good, religious things. Inheritances aren’t earned; they are passed down when one is part of a family. And for two, even though this man has enough money to buy most anything he wants, life with God isn’t for sale.
So, what Jesus says to him next truly shocks the guy. He tells him to sell what he has, give the money to the poor, then come and join Jesus and the disciples as a member of God’s family. No buying or earning his way in is necessary. In fact, all that’s required is for this man to learn to trust in Jesus rather than in his possessions or his good works.
That’s a difficult move to make, both for this fellow and for us. It’s a whole lot more comfortable for us if we can adhere to certain religious obligations, do enough good deeds, or point to our accumulated wealth as a sign of God’s favor. There’s no way God can say “no” to us if we look and act all the right ways. Right?
Only we’ll never be “good” enough, whatever that might mean. “No one is good but God alone,” Jesus says at the beginning of the conversation; so it’s not about being good. Neither is God impressed with our wealth. “How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God,” Jesus says moments later. What then can we do to inherit eternal life?
Nothing, really. Turns out the inheritance is already ours because with great delight God chose to adopt us into His family. That’s what Jesus’ death on the cross was all about. Rather than do something, we simply have to receive what God wants to give us. It’s something money can’t buy and deeds can’t earn. Once we claim our inheritance, once we join in with the rest of God’s family, life shifts. We no longer have to tirelessly trust in ourselves or our wealth in order to secure our place with God. Instead, we can trust that God already has us safe within His hands.
And even though it’s not as shiny, we’re unquestionably rich.
Joshua Gorenflo and his wife, Kya, are ministers at Kenai Fellowship, Mile 8.5 on the Kenai Spur Highway. Worship is 11 a.m. on Sundays. Streamed live at kenaifellowship.com.
