Whole Life

Matthew 19:16-22New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)

Then someone came to him and said, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; Honor your father and mother; also, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “I have kept all these; what do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions.

The story of the rich young man comes up a lot in the lectionary and exists in some form in Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Off the bat, these things jump out at me as areas on which to focus:

- The young man asks what (singular) good deed he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus' reply is about how to enter into "life."  Not eternal life, but life...which would mean life now, not simply life not yet. Why would Jesus turn the young man's answer about (presumably) his future, eternal (heavenly?) life to simply the word "life?"

- Jesus only lists some of the commandments.  Glaring omissions for the young man?  You shall not have any other gods and do not covet.  Why do you think he may have left those out?  What does this tell us about how personal this interaction is between Jesus and the young man?

- Jesus tells him to be perfect.  Perfect, as I've talked about before, in this context, means whole.  Jesus is telling him to be whole.  Complete. What is he lacking therefore that would make him whole?

- The young man goes away grieving.  Why do you think that is?  We don't know if he actually does follow Jesus or not.  We don't know if he follows through with Jesus' command or not.  Is he grieving because he will miss his possessions, or is he grieving because he will miss out on following Jesus?

This text is often used for stewardship sermons.  It's connected also often with the lines that follow about how difficult it is for camels to get through eyes of needles and rich people to enter the kingdom of God.

But when we see the kingdom of God as life - not just the hereafter - and as the state of being whole, the story then becomes not simply about this one young rich man or even about all rich people.  

It becomes about all of us asking ourselves what is it that keeps us from a whole life?  What is it that keeps us from a complete relationship with God?

God's desire for us is wholeness.  God's dream for us is the kingdom - or kindom or commonwealth - of God.

God wants us to live.  To enter life fully, wholly, and completely.

God of life, teach me to live with my whole heart, my whole being, and my whole self.  Amen.