The Rich Young White Middle-Class American

The Rich Young White Middle-class Amercian Luke 18:21,22—And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” There have been many times in the past few months that God has used the voice of Derek Webb to convict me about biblical truths. Derek (do you like how I call him by his first name as if we know each other) has written a song entitled “Rich Young Ruler”. There are several lines in this song that absolutely tear me up, because if we will be honest with ourselves, we are no different than the rich young ruler. It is very easy to justify ourselves based on our works. When I read the story of the rich young ruler, I want to believe that that does not really pertain to me for a couple of reasons. First of all, I’m not a rich man. I am middle-class at best. And I didn’t walk away sad when Christ spoke, “Come follow Me”. So, obviously, the only way that this passage pertains to me is by possibly teaching my youth that being rich can be a dangerous thing. It is a dangerous thing, but after a little more meditation these verses, the Lord began to speak more than what came at face value. I have a few questions that I must ask myself and hopefully you will apply them to you. Have we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood? Jesus said that what we do to the least of these, we do to him. Christy and I live in a brick house in the country where we don’t really have to worry about being bothered by anyone. We don’t have to worry about too much about a neighbor calling on us for anything because we are just far enough away from folks that it would be too much of an inconvenience. We don’t live anywhere near the least of these. We have moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood. Do you believe that you are basically good? John Piper said in a sermon once that we as Americans “swim in a sea of arrogance.” At the beginning of this passage of scripture, the rich man referred to Jesus as “good teacher”. Jesus responded by saying no one is good. I think that each of us basically think that we are good. We don’t lie all the time and we don’t disrespect our parents. We will admit that we are not perfect. But maybe we think of ourselves more highly than we ought (Romans 12:3). The fact is we are not good. That flies in the face of everything that this American culture wants you to think. But God’s word boldly speaks that there is nothing good within us (Romans 3:10-18). Romans 3:20—For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes the knowledge of sin. In Derek Webb’s song Jesus says, “Come follow me, sell your house, sell your SUV, sell your stock, sell your security and give it to the poor.” To this the rich man responds, “What is this!? Hey what’s the deal? I don’t sleep around and I don’t steal.” Then Jesus responds, “I want the things you just can’t give me.” I think that this is probably what he is saying to most of you just like he is saying to me. We will view the loving the “least of these” as “ministry opportunities” and not as a way of life. How arrogant we are! We will gladly give our money to missions and pray for the homeless and possibly even bring them something to eat. But rarely will we go in front of our money. Would we invite a homeless man to live in our “guest bedroom”? Could it be possible that our guest should be the least of these? Jesus said they will know we are his by the way that we love one another (John 13:35). I know that this is a lot to think about and I definitely don’t want to take anything out of context. The passage of the rich young ruler is talking about salvation. But these are just some thoughts that I believe that the lord has laid on my heart to meditate on and I thought I would share them. “I want the things you just can’t give me.”