I've read the story of "The Rich Young Ruler" many times. I've heard lessons on it, I've taught lessons on it. Seems to me as I reflect on it that the take away from each of those lessons was always focused on his failure. Failure to let go of his wealth. Failure to see Jesus as the prize. He loved money more than Jesus. And of course, "it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into heaven."
All true - all important lessons. Recently however, a verse jumped out at me that I hadn't ever considered before. One so important that I will go out on a limb here and say it could be the key verse of the section.
"And Jesus looked at him and loved him." Mk 10:21
Here's a young man approaching Jesus. I don't know, but I suspect by his dress and it his manner it was obvious he was a person of some importance. Maybe he had already begun to realize that he couldn't buy peace. We do know that he came to Jesus because he knew that Jesus had the answers he was seeking...quite possibly answers to questions he didn't know he had. Here's what I have always missed in my reading of this passage of scripture. Jesus looked at him and loved him. When the young man heard Jesus' answer he walked away sorrowful. Is it just maybe possible that part of the reason was he saw the love in Jesus eyes and he knew he was walking away from that?
I wonder. Do the people that I work with who deny even the deity of my Lord see love when I look at them? After listening yet again to another tale of woe brought about because of poor decisions do my eyes convey love? Or frustration? Judgement? Horror?
I suspect people might find it harder to walk away from our churches if we in the church looked at them with eyes that conveyed love.
What do you think?
2 comments:
I walked away from church several years ago when I felt condemned and betrayed. I know now that God was standing there with His arms open wide waiting for me to come back.
Through the pain, I learned to have a new filter when I see people, co-workers, and friends.
Life is hard, but loving sure makes life go smoother!
It's hard when the body of Christ fails to be the body of Christ -- but sometimes it's what makes us learn that Jesus is enough.
And helps us remember when we're on the other side of the hurt what it's like.
Life lessons aren't always much fun!
Post a Comment