Mark 10:17-27
He asks Jesus, “Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
I see myself in this young ruler. I’m a conscientious student. I study hard. I pride myself on doing well on the tests. I work hard to get things right. I’ve been blessed with success, whether because of my efforts or because of privilege and opportunity that not everyone has. I can understand the desire to ensure that I’m on the right path for eternal life, too.
Jesus answers, “You know the commandments,” and the young man answers, “Teacher, all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
The young man, like me, understands what he’s been taught about how to be a good person in the world and he’s following those rules. He feels good about who he is, and yet, perhaps, he’s wondering whether what he’s done is enough and he’s looking for certainty, confirmation.
Jesus looks at him, loves him, really sees him, as Jesus does. And then, the rules seem to shift. Jesus invites the young man to give away everything and follow Jesus. The young man’s face falls and he leaves, unable to give up what he has.
Where have I been too attached to my possessions, my opinions? Where have I been stuck in patterns of behavior that keep me from healthy relationships with others? What am I being invited to let go of and follow Jesus?
As I reflect on this passage, I’m struck by this story in a new way. The young ruler was invited to come and follow Jesus - the same invitation that Jesus gave to fishermen on the shore. The difference is that this is a story where the invitation was turned down. When has Jesus invited me to follow him into something new and I haven’t heard the invitation because I’ve been so attached to my current circumstances?
The Contemplative Stance (Show Up, Pay Attention, Cooperate with God, Release the Outcome) has been helping me to recognize when God is nudging me, inviting me into something new by Paying Attention. I’m learning to both pay attention to the invitation and pay attention to my reaction to the invitation - am I wanting to say “No” because I’m not ready to let go of something that no longer serves me? If my goal is to Cooperate with God, how could that look different from my initial response?
PRAYER: God, Help me to be humble and open to new possibilities. Help me to let go of ways of being that no longer serve me. Help me to hear the invitations to be part of your work of healing in the world.
PROMPT: What might God be inviting you to let go of in order to more fully cooperate with God’s plan.