It is Harder for a Rich Man to go Through the Eye of a Needle
Than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven.
Growing up in church, I had read and heard this sentiment in sermons and in Sunday School. It always stung me. See, I have affluent parents and am in the top 1%. I am the target here. The rich man who had done everything right, but still unwilling to give up all of his possessions in order to follow Jesus.
Jesus didn't come to simply change people's points of views. He also didn't come as a political crusader to save the Romans. Jesus came to save us from the hopeless and broken lives that we were living. Which is why He said what He said. No matter how we add up in the American system of wealth, if you live in America, you can be considered like the rich man in any respect. We all have possessions, materials, and money that Jesus would like to see us give up so that we can run and follow Him. But instead, I am like the rich man. I don't want to give up my comfort that the privilege of growing up in an affluent household affords me.
But then over the course of my life, I have discovered the pitfalls of being affluent. Sure, your parents can buy you so many things that you want on a whim. You can easily spend $100 at the clothing store. You eat wonderful food and you have what you want.
But there is an emptiness.
A sense of pervasiveness that surrounds me tells me that something is off and missing. It's an undefined sense of loneliness, this unspoken word which tells me that these material things and privileges aren't enough in this life and can't sustain me.
Only Jesus can.
I'm taking an unconventional journey. One that will lead me to PA school and more connected to God. One that will help me truly live by faith and not by sight, walking sin his way. And one that requires me to give up everything I have. In a figurative sense, I will give up the notion that things will make me happy and satisfied. I will give up worldly views of success. And I will give up the impression that I always need to impress people. I will live for the Gospel instead and live by Christ.
Growing up in church, I had read and heard this sentiment in sermons and in Sunday School. It always stung me. See, I have affluent parents and am in the top 1%. I am the target here. The rich man who had done everything right, but still unwilling to give up all of his possessions in order to follow Jesus.
Jesus didn't come to simply change people's points of views. He also didn't come as a political crusader to save the Romans. Jesus came to save us from the hopeless and broken lives that we were living. Which is why He said what He said. No matter how we add up in the American system of wealth, if you live in America, you can be considered like the rich man in any respect. We all have possessions, materials, and money that Jesus would like to see us give up so that we can run and follow Him. But instead, I am like the rich man. I don't want to give up my comfort that the privilege of growing up in an affluent household affords me.
But then over the course of my life, I have discovered the pitfalls of being affluent. Sure, your parents can buy you so many things that you want on a whim. You can easily spend $100 at the clothing store. You eat wonderful food and you have what you want.
But there is an emptiness.
A sense of pervasiveness that surrounds me tells me that something is off and missing. It's an undefined sense of loneliness, this unspoken word which tells me that these material things and privileges aren't enough in this life and can't sustain me.
Only Jesus can.
I'm taking an unconventional journey. One that will lead me to PA school and more connected to God. One that will help me truly live by faith and not by sight, walking sin his way. And one that requires me to give up everything I have. In a figurative sense, I will give up the notion that things will make me happy and satisfied. I will give up worldly views of success. And I will give up the impression that I always need to impress people. I will live for the Gospel instead and live by Christ.
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