It really should seem surprising . . . but it doesn’t.
The young man had come to Jesus, looking for answers. By all appearances, he was sincere. He addressed Jesus politely and then asked: “What must I do to have life . . . real life . . . life with God?” (Mark 10:17)
Jesus engaged him in an honest conversation. There was some give and take; a bit of an exchange back and forth. Jesus asked a question; the man apparently answered honestly. And then Jesus answered the question the man asked. Jesus spoke directly to his concern; he gave the man what he asked for. But, notice the man’s response!
Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property. (Mark 10:21-22)
I still don’t think I am surprised or shocked by the man’s reaction as I ought to be; but then I also think that I am not shocked or surprised because of how much my thinking may really be just like this young man’s.
You see, the man asked Jesus one profound but reasonably simple question: How do I have real life?
And Jesus offered one profound but reasonably simple answer: Follow me [after you jettison what is getting in the way of that].
And rather than jumping up and down in joy, whooping and hollering because he has just been told the real secret to life forever with God, the man turns away saddened and leaves.
Why so sad? You got the answer to your question. You got the answer to the question that people have been asking throughout the ages. You got the answer to the question that haunts most people in their quiet moments as they feel instability of physical life. You got the truth . . . you got what you asked for . . .
So, young man, why so sad?
Mark tells us that he went away sad because “he owned much property.” And Jesus had just told him that all he had to do was “sell everything” and indiscriminately distribute it to those who couldn’t pay him back, and then come and follow!
I know . . . I rationalize and try and understand and explain what is going on with the man. He was sad because he had too much stuff. That’s obvious. But was it the “having” that was the cause of the sadness? Or could it be that it really was more that the stuff had him?
His heart was into that stuff and the stuff had a hold on his heart. And yet he knew that there was more to life. So, he came and asked Jesus. And, in love, Jesus told him the truth, told him what he needed to hear. And rather than rejoicing over the good news of eternal life being available to him . . . he was sad.
So I wonder. Why am I so sad?
Jesus offers us life. He extends it to us freely. He doesn’t require us to earn or merit or work for or deserve it. But he does tell us that if something is getting in the way of us seeing him, following him, than it would be best to set aside what is interfering with our following . . . and then follow!
And I tell myself that I don’t have that much stuff! And I remind myself that Jesus doesn’t tell everyone to do this exact thing. And I try and figure out why I still am sad. And it becomes clear . . .
I feel sadness when my heart is attached to something other than Jesus . . . because we were made to experience life following him alone.
All the sadness means is that my affections have settled somewhere else.
And, truth be told, that really is sad!
Summathetes 