After Don and I posted our thoughts on the story of the rich young man/rich young ruler in the Gospels, I spent some time talking to my brother about our interpretations of this story. Frankly, he didn’t agree with us on some points, despite the fact that we agree completely on our overall core beliefs. We had a great discussion on the deeper truths that we do agree on: salvation is a free gift of God’s grace; yet scripture is clear that our actions are also critically important.
Shortly into the conversation, we had drifted far away from the specifics of the rich young man story. Near the end, I told Rich that I always try to stress that the obligation to love others as ourselves, and actively sacrifice for their good, is not a burden. My personal experience is that I struggled with our decision to adopt. I felt a heavy burden of responsibility to care for my family’s financial and emotional needs with my income and my time and effort. I knew I could not have the same “certainty” of doing that after committing to adopt 2… OK, now maybe 5… kids on top of the 3 we already had. I came to a point where I knew that it was wrong to hold onto that. That I was required to surrender all to follow Jesus, as He demanded of everyone He called when He was on earth. Since I have done that (or at least started that process), I have experienced a joy and a peace that I have never had before.
He responded by telling me a personal story I had not been aware of. He had spent many years burdended with a desire to be married and have a family. That was not happening, and he was 36 years old. He had vocalized “turning the matter over to God” many times, but never really had. One day brushing his teeth, it hit him like a ton of bricks that he just had to accept that it might not happen for him. In a very real way - a way he never had before - he gave that over to God. He experienced a spritiual and emotional breakthrough that day, and ironically, met his future wife shortly thereafter.
At first blush, these are seemingly conflicting ideas as to what it takes to get that “breakthrough” moment and really connect with God. And they are if you’re looking for a formula for success - but God is not about formulas - He’s about relationships. But I was struck by the parallel between our stories, the story of the rich young man, and the stories of everyone Jesus called. He demanded one thing of everyone He asked to follow Him (or who asked if they could follow Him). That was simply this: give up control over what you value most and turn it over to Me. Surrender that one thing… that one thing that you most desperately want to hold on to (and thus free yourself to surrender everything). The rich young man walked away sad when he learned the cost of following Jesus. That cost may not be our posessions - it is both harder and more freeing than that. The cost is control - truly valuing relationship with Jesus over anything else in our lives.
