"But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich." Luke 18:23
I read something recently that said, "The truth hurts a lot before it feels better." That's how I feel about this verse.
Jesus speaks to us all through a Gospel of truth that seeks to save us out of pure love for us. Of course, the truth is the first part that is going to hurt. It's going to hurt because it's getting us out of our comfort zone. It's the thing that will call you out of your bed and into the streets. It's what will reveal all the imperfections in your life that you have grown to become quite used to. Jesus wakes us up.
I'm writing this from a hospital bed, where I have come to after quite a number of rounds of tests in order to find what's causing my stomach to feel bad. I find that the Gospel works in the same way. It puts us into sometimes seemingly uncomfortable situations in order for our doctor, Jesus Christ, to let us know what we need to do to improve. Do we need to eat less of the gluttony that exists in our lives in the form of spending money and eating unreasonably exorbitant food? Do we need to exercise more in our lives as spiritual beings, with prayer and reading? Do we need to calm down from the stresses of life? Jesus is there to tell us what to do and how to do it.
In this reading, we find that there is a rich man who is sorrowful after hearing that in order to attain ultimate spiritual greatness, he needs to give up his money. I interpret this not so much as a condemnation of money, but as a condemnation of the care of money. This man has defined himself by his money. How many of us are guilty of similar things? Do we like to show off our worth with our clothes, shoes, cars? Do we like to flaunt our degrees with high language and off-putting, vacuous philosophical discussions?
Jesus is calling us to remember to care for all those around us. We need to give our time, talent, and treasures to all of those around us in order to continue the work of the Kingdom of God. We need to get up out of our comfort zones so that those who live in discomfort can have a breath of relief. In fact, we might even find new relief when we find ourselves out in the world doing the work we are called to do.
This is beautifully written and so many of us need to read and hear this message. Thank you for writing and sharing your thoughts. I am also praying for your health and that all your doctors work with the wisdom of healing your body.
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