AS DEPENDENT AND WITHOUT CONTROL AS BABIES
Who, do you suppose is the most vulnerable group or
class in human society? The very old, the very ill or the very
poor—they’re all vulnerable and pretty close to helpless, aren’t they?
These would certainly come to mind and with good reason but I’d like to
isolate the little children who also are utterly dependent and
completely vulnerable but especially because they fit into the context
of Jesus’ meeting with the rich ruler [a rich young ruler—Matthew 19:20,
22].
Not to be in control, to be helpless, completely dependent—how would
that feel? We know of such people in millions, don’t we! We see and hear
of the current events in the media, read of the world’s awful wrongs in
history and now and then personally experience occasions when we were
in that state. Who wants it? Who would want to want it?
Then there’s the other end of that spectrum. What parent hasn’t
thrilled at a toddler’s first unaided steps or laughed over the child’s
first attempt to use a spoon or parroted the first word? First signs of a
coming independence. How sweet it all is! First time to tie shoe-laces,
first unaided bicycle ride, first day at school, first job first..,
Independence; bye bye helplessness, hello self-dependence and provision,
so long “I can’t do it by myself.”
Once tasted and once the healthy awareness comes that I can and
should do some things by myself, it’s onwards and upwards and inwards.
It’s healthy, this feeling of being in control, and we’re not to
apologize for it but like every other good and rich blessing it can
become distorted, misused and become as occasion for arrogance.
In Luke18:9-14 there’s this religious teacher who is able truthfully
to say that he is morally upright—he even thanks God for his moral power
and behavior. Jesus said the man was in trouble! How was that? He was
in trouble because he loved his control and used it to prove to himself,
God and man that he was ‘not like other men” [Luke 18:11]. He made it
clear he wasn’t dependent, wasn’t helpless, wasn’t vulnerable. As Luke
puts it, in 18:9, he was one of those upright types who “trusted in
themselves.”
Jesus contrasted him with a man who called himself “the sinner” and
couldn’t even lift his eyes when he asked God to be merciful to him
[18:13-14]. Jesus said the sinner man who knew he needed and begged for
mercy got God’s approval and assurance rather than the morally upright
man who exalted himself in God’s presence.
From there Jesus moved on to the vulnerable and utterly dependent
little children. In saying people won’t enter the kingdom unless they
are like children [18:15-17] Jesus wasn’t talking about some character
traits we often see in children—he was talking about their sense of
utter need and dependence. Those who would enter the kingdom would come
to Him in need of blessings and to be blessed by him [18:15].
Then we have the rich man, the rich ruler man, the rich young ruler
man [Luke 18:18-23]. To have great wealth is to be powerful and when you
are a rich ruler the power is increased and when you’re young and
healthy it can be increased even more.
There is no reason to believe that this young man was arrogant. He
walked away very saddened but he didn’t walk away fuming [“How dare
he…?]. He came so the text suggests seeking assurance. On the whole,
does that suggest arrogance? He’s rich, he’s a young man and he’s a
ruler and he comes seeking advice and assurance? I prefer to think he
didn’t come with a smirk, self-satisfied, just to see what Jesus would
say to a splendid example of success like him. Somewhere in him
insecurity lurked and he wanted to get it straight.
Jesus gave him no lecture about legalism when he asked what he must
do to inherit eternal life. “You trying to earn your way into heaven
young man?” None of that! Never entered Jesus’ head that he was trying
to earn life. See how in Luke 10:25-27 Jesus dealt with another man who
asked the same question but with a poorer spirit. There the man asked
what he “must do” and got no lecture about “legalism” and Jesus told him
to do what the Bible told him to do.
But though the rich young ruler wasn’t arrogant and he wasn’t trying
to earn life with God it appears that Jesus knew that his wealth was a
problem for him so he called him to distribute it all to the poor and
come and follow the Lord. Jesus was thrilled when Zaccheus only
committed to give away half of his wealth [Luke 19:8-10].
So the young man must have been greedy, selfish, and covetous—yes?
No, we have no reason to believe he was any of those particular things
though it’s possible he was guilty of that. But when we’re told that
Jesus looked on him and “loved him” [Mark 10:31] it’s difficult to see
him as having such a character. And when Mark suggests that it was
because Jesus loved him that he called him to distribute his wealth and
come with him the sense is [to me anyway] that the Lord is moved rather
than repelled by this young man. He sees him as in need of love and
straight speech rather than contempt. Jesus wanted to bring him in
rather than drive him away and it looks to me that the Lord saw the
danger that faced this young rich ruler and was trying to save him from
it.
In the Luke context that leads up to the young man’s encounter it
seems clear that justification, entrance into God’s kingdom or eternal
life call for an awareness of full dependence, vulnerability, lack of
power or control and it may well be that this was the young man’s
trouble. To give away the power that wealth ensures, to step down from
an established place of leadership and become one of the band of Jesus
with all the uncertainty that that would involve, maybe that was the
central problem. “Dispense with all that assures you and promises
security in control and leave yourself vulnerable.” Surely that’s
something of what Jesus is saying to him.
But we mustn’t miss Jesus’ promise that if he makes such a loving use
of his great wealth that he would gain treasure in heaven rather than
saying “you will be saved.” Money and its use here is part of the focus.
But underneath all that is, “And come and follow me.” Was Jesus
inviting him to become part of a band that kept company with Jesus as
well as, in general, a disciple? I think so. He was being called to make
up his mind about Jesus.
So many dangers! Genuine upright behavior can become a threat to the
upright. Feeling no vulnerability, no need of help [“Don’t talk to me as
if I were a baby!”] or seeking assurance by what we have—position,
wealth or…It’s all grace, we’re entirely dependent on GOD and his gracious provision from beginning to end.
Yes, but how do we respond to that grace? First believe and receive it then work it out!
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