I love meeting people who have a zeal for life — who talk as is if they know anything they’d attempt in life would be spectacular and make for a fabulous adventure. They don’t often consider the possibility of things not working out and they’re first to advocate for there being more to life than just white-washed walls and long work days. Some think this naïve. After all, someone needs to provide for families and the pricey cost of raising a child. Bills bills bills. These are good things to work for, and society approves of this approach to living.. so it’s right.
Right?
One day, a wealthy young businessman was walking along the side of a road. As he walked, he was reflecting over the things in his life: how he was a hard worker and earned his keep. He loved his wife well, and his children he played with every day when he got home from work. He’d never committed a crime, he was kind to everyone he met and he served at his church weekly.
As he was walking, the young man suddenly came upon the person he had been looking for.
“Teacher,” he said. “What good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
The teacher replied, “There’s only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
And as the teacher listed the commandments he was referring to, the young man’s face lit up as he recalled all the things he was just reflecting over. “All these I have kept! What am I missing?”
Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
The man’s face fell as he turned to walk back down the road towards home. He worked hard to earn everything he had. He was a good man. What the teacher required of him was costly, and frankly, it didn’t make a lot of sense; what Jesus wanted him to do and what he was taught growing up — two different things. And he needed to get home to be with his family for some time and then go to bed so he could wake up for his 9-hour work day.
Ever since I was a wee third grader, it’s been easy for me to believe Jesus came to Earth because He wanted to give us an awesome religion and provide a foundation for solid churches in which we could participate in weekly church activities. But Jesus wasn’t offering this young man these things. He asked this young man to give up all his stuff and when nothing was left, Jesus wanted the man. He wanted his heart.
To many believers including myself many of times, worship of God can be summed up in: going to church, giving money, providing for families, loving neighbors, singing about Jesus and his love, and their love for him… and they are genuine. And these are great things! And while God delights in us obeying the commandments, I believe He's extra giddy when our worship to Him is our very selves. Jesus told the young man to “obey the commandments” knowing the man had already done so. The true test came when Jesus told the man to follow him. And like the wealthy comfortable young man, I'm tempted to obey God and love Him – within the realm of my comfort.
For so long I believed following Jesus looked like a life of misery because it’d be one long heavy walk to my own cross at the end of life (#dramatic?). Maybe you can relate. But there’s good news: Jesus already did that for us! From where he stands now, he’s radiant. He wears a crown, He has King of Kings and Lord of Lords written on his robe and thigh, His eyes are ablaze. And while he climbs mountaintops (so to speak) and conquers the world He looks at you, eyes ablaze with love, and he says “Follow me.”
Have you ever been uncomfortable in your relationship with Jesus? Have you ever felt God calling you to do something you were scared to do, but you went for it? And then got to witness God’s faithfulness and the fruit of your obedience?
Going back to life being one big adventure, I'm a firm believer in it. So yes, I'm one of those people. I’ll talk about it to the point where people want to focus more on the amount of splenda they’re pouring into their coffee before making a bee line for the exit. Ha.
But please understand my understanding of adventure. When I chose to give up my stuff and then give my heart to Jesus, it’s only been a great big thrilling unpredictable wrecking-and-being-built-back-up-again joy & peace-filled adventure since then. God delights in this kind of adventure and I will too.
Speaking of which, World Race training camp in 4 days!!!! Eeek!
