On July 14, the front page of the LA Times had an article about Jay Leno’s passion and love for cars. He has an airplane hangar filled with 130 pricey treasures. One is a 1.2 -million dollar McLaren. (A letter to the editor suggested he sell that 1.2 -million McLaren and upgrade the auto shops at the local high schools.)
Read Matthew 19:16-22 — Some refer to this as ” The Tragedy of the Rich Young Man.”
I believe this young man is sincere in his question to Jesus: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?”
And Jesus responds, “If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
The rich man wants to have life.
Jesus wants him to enter life.
The man wants a market; Jesus points him toward a road.
This rich young man wants a a place to buy life. Tell me what to do Jesus, so I can add eternal life to my vast collection of stuff. He’s rich. He’s used to accumulating things. He’s inquiring about listing eternal life among his stockpiled possessions.
However, this rich young man cannot add eternal life to his treasures like Leno adds cars.
Jesus is The Way; He’s not Safeway.
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Matthew 7:14
Those who find it are few. Of course they are few. Who wants hard? Who chooses hard? Who wants narrow when wide is an option? When easy is a choice? When we can have all our possessions and eternal life too?
So, this young man eager to have life, tells Jesus he has kept all the commandments Jesus lists. Eternal life is within his grasp! You can feel his hope rising. He’s almost there! He wonders what else he needs to do.
“Sell what you possess and give to the poor . . .”
Matthew 19:21Crushed. Sorrowful. He walks away. He becomes one of the many who choose the way that leads to destruction. (7:13) His riches are more important than his Redeemer, so he turns his back on the The Way and joins the throng on the wide, easy road.
“For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”
Matthew 7:14
Having stuff is not the problem. The problem is wanting all our stuff and Jesus too. The problem is our unwillingness to let go of the stuff when asked. When others need it more. When it gets in the way of the much more of the Gospel. When it prevents us from walking through the narrow gate leading to the narrow way.
What’ll it be for you?
Treasures on earth?
Treasures in heaven?
The market or the road?
A checklist or a journey?
We can’t have eternal life, we enter it.
Are you willing to let go of the things that are clogging and cluttering your way to The Way? That are preventing you from entering through the narrow gate?
Will you be one of the many or one of the few?
It’s a daily choice, so what’ll be today?
(By quoting the LA Times at the beginning of this post, I am not commenting on Jay Leno’s spiritual journey. Only God knows and judges the condition of a heart and soul. However, what a great idea it is for him to use his great passion and wealth to upgrade the auto shops at the high schools in his area.)
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