You’ve heard it right?

“It’s easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God”

Mark 10:25

It’s a loaded statement.  Worthy of pondering.  But I believe that what Jesus was trying to say is that when we focus on the abundance of this world, we aren’t focused on him. Period.

This verse has made me think, if I become rich someday…how will I maintain my focus?

The answer came sooner than expected.

This past Sunday began a new series in church on Eternal Life.  The Pastor read the above verse, paused and then said:

“By the way, YOU’RE rich, he’s talking about you.” With a sweeping grand gesture he pointed at the entire audience and somehow it felt like he looked each person square in the eye.

Huh?  No, not me.  I’m on a budget.  I drive a Honda.  I’m middle class.

“By this world’s standards,” he continued “you are rich.”

Oh.

Ohhhhhhh. Okay.  Most of the world lives on $3/day, without running water.  That’s not me.

Sinking in. Message received.  One big fat slice of humble pie later…I realize I am rich and if I’m honest, I’m like a big ol’ camel.

I can admit that I find myself drawn like a moth to a flame to what the world has to offer. I often ride the roller coaster of trying to control my future, securing it so that no harm will come to me and mine.  “If I can just…Once we reach…When we have…”  You know the game right?

Then there’s these guys.

With culture and media aimed right at them the best defense they have is, well me (and Jared of course).  “Do as I say not as I do” is not gonna fly.

I remember being so humbled by Grace last Christmas because she had not yet succumbed to commercialization.  When asked what she wanted for Christmas it was consistently the same answer: a violin. Finally, I asked her “what else do you want?”  She looked at me slightly puzzled.  She had no concept that she was about to hit the Christmas present jackpot. To her, she was truly telling us what she wanted and it was one special thing.  Why did I let THAT get screwed up???

Now when I take her to the store it’s a whole different story.  Mom look…!  Can we get…?   Can I have…?  Pleeeeeeeeease!!!  It’s a little heartbreaking.  We don’t even buy toys for the kids except for birthdays and Christmas but sadly, it doesn’t matter.  We really don’t watch commercials in our home but somehow it’s still seeping in. I just want to rewind back to just 9 short months ago when she still had no concept of ‘the gimme’s’.

I’m no better.  It’s almost fall and I’m craving new sweaters, some beautiful boots, a new pair of jeans.  I would love to go on a vacation. I dream about popping the top on our home. It’s never-ending.

It’s sneaky, it’s sly.  Deceptive and powerful, that devil.  And it’s true, when we desire and ‘love’ what the world has to offer, we are robbing God of our love and devotion.  If you think about it, we are ultimately robbing ourselves too.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy,and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven,where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Matthew 6: 19-21

So I’m a little more clear now. It’s not ‘that guy’ with the sprawling mansion’s issue. It’s not ‘that girl’ with the Louboutin’s issue. It’s my issue. Today.  It’s my children’s issue, today.  Don’t get me wrong.  I will still enjoy the finer things in life.  I don’t think the moral is that we are all to live in poverty, but rather to overcome the challenge.  We aren’t promised that this journey will be easy, only that the reward is beyond our imagination.  Beyond anything this world has to offer.

At any given time, can you do without?  Do you fear living by faith alone?  Where do you store your treasure?