Mark 10:17-31
The rich, young ruler: Act II, Scene 2. One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor… (v. 21b) Again, as Debbie pointed out yesterday and two years ago, it seems like the young man’s wealth was keeping him from seeking Jesus more completely. But Jesus was asking quite a bit from this young man, to sell it all. I was trying to think of anyone in our lifetime who had “sold it all”. Two people immediately came to mind – Bethany Tennent and Mark/Tommie Bruner. They left “the world” behind to follow Jesus. But even they had a “life line” back to their “sending organizations” and churches and individuals who were supporting their ministry.
So what about Jesus’ disciples… Consider: After Jesus rose from the dead, within days or weeks Peter went back to fishing (John 21). I mentioned in my posts from 2019 that Peter (and Andrew, James, and John?) must have had a fairly large fishing business, so did Peter maintain ownership and leave someone in charge when he left to follow Jesus? After all, Peter was married and had responsibilities for his household, including his mother-in-law (Mark 1:29-31). Did he leave it all behind or did he have that “life line” back to his former life? We can presume that after John 21 that Peter did, in fact, leave it all behind. His activities on the day of Pentecost seem to lock him in forever.
So Debbie’s comments and my further ruminations above give me some solace – that we are not called to sell everything and give the proceeds to the poor. But to the extent that our possessions (or our behaviors?) are holding us back from seeking Jesus more fully, then those possessions/behaviors need to be set aside. So the question for me (and for each of the rest of you?) – what am I holding back?
See also: August 9 (2019) / Mark 10:17-31