7/7/12 Ben,
about 40
Today
I think I met a modern day "rich young ruler" similar to the one whom
Jesus spoke with in Mark 10. On an early
morning bike ride through Chicago's streets, I stopped at a park in a wealthy
neighborhood and began a conversation with Ben, a business-type who was there
shooting baskets. He told me he is confident that there is a heaven and even
more confident that he is going there, rating himself very close to the top compared
to other people when it comes to personal goodness. So confident, in fact, that he felt no need
to discuss the issue, but this question got his attention: "If you were on
the wrong path, headed in the wrong direction, it would be best to find out as soon
as possible so you can turn around and get on the correct path, right?" He agreed. "So how much more important would it be
to get on the right path in regards to eternity?" I went on to tell him "Our society is
turning to relative morality, which says that our level of goodness depends on
how we compare to others around us, but the Bible teaches that God's standards
are absolute, comparing our behavior to His laws such as the Ten Commandments". Ben believes
in keeping an open mind, so he had to agree
that there is a possibility that he may be wrong about how good he actually is
compared to God's standard, and confidently agreed to take a "good person
test" based on the Ten Commandments, much like the questions Jesus gave
the rich young ruler. But when I gave
the first few questions about lying, stealing, and blasphemy, Ben either gave
elaborate excuses or denied breaking these commandments, just as the rich young
man did. I think Jesus knew the rich young
man wasn't as good as he claimed, but He ignored this and went on to other
questions because He didn't want the focus to be on a legalistic attitude about
the law, but the spirit behind it. Instead of arguing, the account reads that "Jesus looked at him
and loved him. 'One
thing you lack,' he said. 'Go, sell everything you have and give to
the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.' "
(vs.
21) Jesus went right to the heart of the young
man's selfish rebellion against God - his wealth. I didn't have this kind of insight with Ben,
but I wanted him to see himself in the mirror of God's law just the same
without being distracted by needing to defend himself What to do?
Ben continued to deny any guilt, so I decided to turn the focus on
myself. I told him how I would be found
guilty of breaking various commandments, mentioning them one by one, and how my
goodness couldn't save me. I would want
mercy, not justice, on judgment day, but God, being a God of both mercy and justice,
provides both in Jesus. The "rich young ruler" went away sad
from his encounter with Jesus. Ben
listened politely, but soon just wanted to get back to shooting baskets.
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