By Paul Collings
Matthew 19:23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
The eye of the needle is a doorway in the old wall of Jerusalem. It was constructed to keep camels out and treasures in. The people would have enjoyed Jesus' play on the place name, and knew that he had a light way of saying something heavy. Possessions can keep us from God. We can ask what is our heavy baggage that keeps us from entering the freedom of the children of God - love of wealth and comfort, holding onto hurt in the past or just the pride of wanting to be in charge of my own world.
In the context of the time where the rich were considered to have done everything right in God’s eyes, and would be favoured by God and gain a place in Heaven, what hope would a poor person have? It is easy to identify with the apostle’s frustration as they had given up everything but they still hadn't grasped the essence of his mission. Jesus makes it clear that God’s ways are not our ways. God does not judge by human standards. The decisions and choices we make in following Jesus will be rewarded in ways we can’t imagine.
Perhaps we should reflect on a time when we made a choice in the name of Jesus, and talk with him now about that experience. We may even question is there anything our lives that we need to hand over to the Lord for whom all things are possible? Ask the Lord to help you entrust it to him.
O Wise God
You have come to us in the form of a vulnerable child;
You teach us that the last are first and the first, last;
You lead us on a Way to new life that leads through death.
Truly your wisdom is different than ours!
Meet us in this place and teach us your foolish wisdom
and your vulnerable power;
give us joy to receive it fully
and courage to live it foolishly,
through Jesus Christ, your Wisdom and Word. Amen
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