Jesus Loved Them, Part 6: The peril of pride masked by obedience
One way to consider the intriguing incident we’re reading today is to look at it through a familiar prayer pattern many use. What might have been different for this wealthy man if he had approached Jesus in these four ways–or even one or two?
Adoration. The man called Jesus “good,” but “good” wasn’t good enough. Jesus responded to the greeting with a challenge. “No one is good—except God alone.” We may appreciate God for many reasons without acknowledging that he alone deserves absolute sway over every aspect of our lives.
Confession. This guy was proud of himself for all his obedience in the past. He came to Jesus claiming to be perfect. Jesus saw through that and challenged a stronghold keeping him from complete faith.
We may be proud of our sacrificial caregiving. We may forget that no matter how much we give or how often we obey God by doing our duty, we can’t earn favor with him. He loved us before we even started trying to follow him.
Thanksgiving. If the wealthy man was grateful for anything, it was his own righteousness. But when we thank God for all he has given that we could not create or control, we learn to approach him in humility.
Some keep a journal of reasons to be grateful. Some mention three specifics to God each night at bedtime. When we “count our many blessings,” our focus turns from the tragedy in our lives to the goodness of our Heavenly Father.
We need not deny the sadness or the difficulty. But we owe it to ourselves to see the whole picture. Imagine what it would have been like to care for an Alzheimer’s patient 100 years ago. Imagine what Alzheimer’s sufferers face today in Haiti or Ukraine or Gaza. We have so many reasons to be grateful.
Supplication. Often we urgently rush to this one first. More than once we have whispered into the night, “God, help.” We come not out of the privilege or pride the man in our story demonstrated. We cry out to Heaven in desperation.
It’s OK. God hears. God helps. Just as a parent on earth rushes to the aid of their children, God is ready to respond when we tell him we need him.
In fact, God is pleased when we bring any one of the above prayers to him. They are excellent ways of experiencing and expressing all he is and all he can do.
We can only begin to imagine how today’s story would have been different if its main character had come to Jesus with the attitudes they reflect.
Read: Mark 10:17-27
Pray: Thank you, Lord, for giving us all we need, even before we ask for it. Forgive us, Lord, when we claim we can handle our burdens by ourselves.
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