WATCHWORD:
20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?” 21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. Matthew 19:20-22.
Meditation:
Shema
In the mid 70s Paul Harvey was a well-known, syndicated newscaster. One part of his broadcast came toward the end when he told us an unfinished story, then, later, would tell ‘The Rest of the Story’. We were fascinated by that and the segment became so popular that it became a program on its own.
One of my favorite passages in the book of Matthew is the story of the rich young ruler. Rarely have I heard or read that passage without thinking, what could be ‘the rest of the story?’. There’s a lot going on here. We don’t know if Jesus is in the temple or on the street, we only know that he’s touching the lives of common people as well as teachers of the law. We know that Jesus knows the mind of the young ruler, and is aware that he has some understanding of the commandments. “Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me”, was a giant hill for the young man to climb, who only listened to the ‘sell it all’ part, then he walked away, sad.
Here is “The Rest of the Story,” according to Stan: Jesus had just been talking about pride and people were mulling over the statement that anyone who doesn’t receive the Kingdom of God like a child will never enter eternal life, when the young man steps up, asks Him, “What should I do to inherit eternal life?” After an exchange, Jesus gives the answer. The man listens and walks away, sad. He’s rich. Jesus smiles, loves that the man sought Him out, and knows that the seed has been planted. It may take time to germinate, but that young man’s life, eventually, will ‘sprout’ and bear fruit. God’s plan, God’s timing.
‘Shema’ is a Hebrew word meaning hear and obey, or hear and act. Our Lord wants us to be doers of the Word, not just hearers. Some of us are thick-minded and it takes time and thought, we have to let it ‘grow on us’ before we act. If that is you, raise your hand. Mine is raised, and so is the hand of the rich young ruler. In his mind, he began to process all that Jesus had said, especially, down to the ‘treasures in heaven,’ and ‘follow me’. The germination was beginning. Blooming and fruit to follow.
Have you ever been in a situation where there is something you wanted to do, yet, the Lord seemed to be telling you to go in a different direction, or to do something that you really didn’t want to do? My guess is everyone reading this has had that kind of an encounter. We may listen to the murmuring of the Holy Spirit, but are we truly ‘hearing’ the message? My version of the ending, had the wealthy young man finally hearing the message from Jesus.
Seeds planted by our Lord, will produce. It may take time, even a lifetime, but it will happen. We are an impatient sort. Often times our prayers are tinged with ‘Shema’, we want God to listen and act. We want results. But then the shoe transfers to the other foot, and God speaks to us through the Holy Spirit, with the same degree of expectation. Hear, go, and do. Amen.
Coming Saturday:
The “National Cherry Popsicle Day” Watchword. Don’t miss it!
Prayer:
Gracious and generous God, Creator and Giver of all that is good, we thank you for our many blessings. We acknowledge that all that we have is from you. We offer you thanks and praise for the beauty of the earth, our work, our family, our loved ones, and all the gifts we have been given. You are with us always. In each dark hour, you are here. In each bright hour, you are here. Blessed by your grace, may we show gratitude by sharing what we have been given. We remain ever grateful for your constant love, the gift of your Son Jesus, and the presence of your Holy Spirit within us. Protect and guide us on our journey, as we seek to be your faithful stewards. Amen.
