One of the songs in the musical Fiddler on the Roof declares in part:
If I were rich, I’d have the time that I lack to sit in the synagogue and pray
And maybe have a seat by the Eastern wall
And I’d discuss the holy books with the learned men, several hours every day
And that would be the sweetest thing of all.
For those who may not know. Fiddler on the Roof is a Broadway musical about a poor Jewish Russian farmer at a time when the Russian leaders expelled the Jews.
If only… The problem is that the “if only” rarely works out the way we envision it. In our last article, Jesus was saddened when a rich young man wouldn’t turn from his wealth to follow Him. This became a teaching moment for His disciples as Jesus turned to them.
“Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were astonished at his words. Again Jesus said to them, “Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They were even more astonished, saying to one another, “Then who can be saved?” Looking at them, Jesus said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God, because all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:23–27, CSB)
Jesus is using the extreme word picture of a camel trying to squeeze through the eye of a needle to show the impossibility of a rich person entering God’s kingdom. The disciple’s astonished response is telling – “Then who can be saved?” I think that they saw that no one could fit through the eye of the proverbial needle. But Jesus reminded them that all things are possible with God.
We must all go through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14) to follow Jesus and enter the Kingdom. None of our treasures will fit through that gate. Everything we hold close must bow the knee to Christ. Paul put it this way, “More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8, CSB) We must enter like a child (Mark 10:15).
Must we then have to do what Jesus instructed the Rich Young Ruler to do? Sell everything and give it away? Perhaps, but perhaps not. That was what that person needed to do. Our reduction may come in other ways. Jesus is looking at the attitude of our hearts, more than the level of our bank accounts. I’ve known poor people consumed by greed, and wealthy people consumed with the love of Christ.
Our problem, our temptation, is to think that wealth will fix our problems. That, like Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, wealth will allow us to spend time with God. Oh, what a lie that is. Rich or poor, God is with us right now, today, just as we are. Following Christ starts today, not when God answers this prayer, or we have enough money, or our children grow up, or we’re retired, or when any other thing we imagine happens. What seems impossible for us is possible for God.
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