Step Up or Slink Off?

Our scripture passage today has such a hard edge that for 2,000 years, preachers have tried everything imaginable to soften its blow. It’s too bad for you that I’m not one of them. I think as Christians in the most affluent and materialistic society in history it’s a good idea to reflect on the place possessions have in our lives. Does our stuff own us or do we own it? What is it all for?

The passage begins with a man running to Jesus, throwing himself at Jesus’ feet. We’ve seen this before—Jairus, the synagogue ruler, did the same when he begged Jesus to cure his dying daughter. Today, it’s different; this man fears his own mortality. He wants to know: Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

You’d expect Jesus to reciprocate the compliment in a normal, polite conversation. “Good teacher” deserves some kind of nicety in return, right? “Wow, you run fast.” But instead, Jesus messes with him. Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone.

The man bites his tongue. Then Jesus lists some of the commandments—the ones about how we treat other people. Don’t murder, don’t lie, don’t commit adultery. He even adds a bonus: Do not defraud. The man, eager to prove himself, replies, O, yes! I’ve kept all of these since birth. And just like that, the trap is sprung. He implies that God alone isn’t good by claiming he has kept all the commandments. He’s good, too.

Jesus pauses, and Mark adds an extraordinary detail: Jesus looked at the man and loved him. This is the only time in Mark’s Gospel that we hear Jesus loved someone explicitly. Maybe Jesus loved that the man was asking the big question—How do I live a good and meaningful life that transcends the ordinary? Jesus speaks the truth, not out of anger or sarcasm, but with love. It’s a good reminder for all of us that when we have to speak hard truths, we should do so from a place of love.

The One Thing

You lack one thing, Jesus says. Go, sell all your possessions, give the money to the poor, and follow me.

In the movie City Slickers a group of New York friends confront their mid-life crisis’ by going on a real western cattle drive. They set out on horseback with a weathered old cowboy name Curly. Mitch, the character played by Billie Crystal, is alone with Curly when Curly asks: “Do you know what the secret of life is?” [holds up one finger]

 Curly: This.

 Mitch: Your finger?

 Curly: One thing. Just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don’t mean ****..

 Mitch: But, what is the “one thing?”

 Curly: [smiles] That’s what *you* have to find out.

Curly didn’t give the answer. He challenged Mitch to look at himself – his life – his values – his motives. As a result, Mitch began his own quest.

In our Christian life we call that quest – discipleship – a quest where we are continually challenged to look deep within ourselves as we strive to become the people God created us to be. When we do this kind of honest reflection – we often find there are things we cling to that get in the way. We hang on to attitudes, beliefs, possessions, fears, hurts – afraid to trust God and let go.

What did the rich man lack?

I’ve always wondered: Why was this the one thing the man lacked? Jesus didn’t demand this from anyone else, so why him?

Maybe it had to do with selfishness. He seemed interested only in his salvation—how to secure his spot in heaven. Many Christians operate this way—they want to go to heaven but don’t care about the hells on earth others experience every day.

Or maybe it had to do with how he got his wealth. Is that why Jesus tossed in the line, “Do not defraud?” The man may not have defrauded anyone directly, but maybe his ancestors did, and he inherited the gains. After all, he frames his question in terms of inheritance. Even if his wealth was inherited, Jesus is clear: reparations must be made.

Or maybe what he lacked was the faith to rely on God’s providence rather than his resources. Jesus asked him to lean fully on God—to stop trusting in his wealth for security. Perhaps the man lacked the courage to give himself wholly to the work of love and compassion, similar to James and John, who clambered after power and glory.

We don’t know precisely what that “one thing” was for this man, but we know how he responded. Instead of stepping up, he slinked away, burdened by what he couldn’t let go. And here’s the heart of it: you may not be called to give up everything, but what is the challenge Jesus has placed on your heart? What do you shrink back from? What would it mean for you to step up?

Step up to care for someone everyone else overlooks. Step up to offer kindness. Step up to give up your time. Or will you slink away, just like the man in the story?

The Camel and the Needle

Jesus and his disciples watched as the man walked away. Jesus then acknowledged the difficulty of putting spiritual things ahead of material things. 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. Here comes the favorite preacher trick to soften this blow. They say a small gate in Jerusalem called the Eye of the Needle was so narrow that a camel could only pass through by kneeling and being unburdened. It sounds nice: it’s not about money, just about humbling ourselves and shedding burdens.

But archeologists tell us that no such gate existed in Jesus’ time. Camels don’t walk on their knees. Jesus wasn’t offering a soft metaphor; he was painting an impossibility. He was pointing out how easy it is for us to place our security in our wealth, our success, rather than in God. But God’s kingdom is different. Wealth is irrelevant. Everyone has enough, and the power dynamics of this world are flipped. The first shall be last, and the last shall be first.

Impossible Made Possible

The disciples are stunned. If this guy, who’s so good, can’t make it, then who can? Jesus replies, With humans, it is impossible, but not with God; for God, all things are possible. Our salvation doesn’t hinge on our goodness but on God’s grace. As Frederick Buechner once said, “The grace of God means something like: Here is your life. You might never have been, but you are because the party wouldn’t have been complete without you.” We don’t earn our place; it’s gifted to us, and it’s our calling to share that gift.

Peter speaks up, eager to justify himself: We have left everything to follow you! Jesus replies that those who follow him receive a hundredfold—a return on investment beyond measure. And not in the way prosperity preachers claim that you’ll receive a hundred if you give a dollar. Instead, it’s the spiritual gain, the deep satisfaction of knowing you are part of God’s story of improving this world.

Stewardship: The Call to Step Up

It’s stewardship time, and we are reminded that the church does incredible work, helping people with physical and spiritual needs. Our worship, education programs, mission projects, and fellowship events—all of these are ways we bring Christ’s kin-dom closer to earth. Giving is part of the discipleship journey.

When I give, I know I am part of something important. That gives me more satisfaction than a new gadget or a fancy meal. We aren’t called to give everything like the man in the story, but we are called to give something to make a difference.

I think of the lonely widower whose primary social interaction is at church. I think of the addict who finds strength in worship. I think of the LGBTQ+ person, rejected elsewhere, who finds love and acceptance here. I think of the children who learn about kindness and compassion. I think of the meals we provide, the care we give to homeless preschoolers, the support for AIDS orphans in Kenya.

In contrast to the rich man who walked away, we have the opportunity to step up. To answer Jesus’ call and make a difference. Not because we have to, but because we get to. Because being part of God’s story is worth more than anything we could ever hold on to. Let us step up together—for one another, for our community, and for the kin-dom of God. Amen.