In what do I trust?

     Our text from Mark's gospel on Sunday is commonly known as the Rich Young Ruler however it is a bit of a misnomer.  You see, this is one of the stories found in all three synoptic gospels, or Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  The story is told slightly differently in all three, beginning with the rich, young, and ruler part.  It is only in Matthew's gospel that the man is identified as young.  It is only in Luke's gospel that the man is identified as a ruler.  The only detail about this man on which all three gospels agree is that he was rich.  
     Now it seems a bit strange in our reformation ears to think about the things that must be 'done' to inherit eternal life.  Yet that is the question.  And, rather than say something like, "Well you can't earn or inherit eternal life by doing anything," Jesus gives him a very straightforward answer: keep the commandments.
     Easy enough, right?  Well for this man, it was.  He was able to answer sincerely and, I believe honestly, that he had kept these commandments.  Again, it seems strange in our reformation ears that someone can keep the commandments.  But in the Jewish tradition then, and today, they believe that it is entirely possible to keep the commandments thereby living in the absolute shalom (peace, wholeness, and love) of God's salvation.  Notice that the disciples didn't balk at this response from the man.  Jesus himself didn't bat an eye.  It was seen as not only possible, but probable.  So, what then is this man really asking Jesus?
     I wonder if you hear, as I do, a sense of sorrow and disappointment in the man's response to Jesus, "Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth."  If he had kept the commandments, had followed the letter of the law, it would seem that the man would be happy and content living in eternal life with God.  But the very fact that he asked the question seems to imply that he was missing something, that keeping the commandments wasn't all it had cracked up to be.  Sure his life was good - he presumably had good relationships with his family, with his community, with his spouse, and those with whom he had business dealings - but it was missing something.
     Have you ever felt this same way?  Have you ever woken up and thought, "I have a pretty good life.  But there's something missing."  Jesus hears this unasked question and seeing the man kneeling at his feet, loves him, and tells him what that something is: complete trust in the God of the universe.
     Jesus sees that this man is happy, content, and yet simultaneously searching deep in his soul for something he can't quite name.  In his comfort with possessions, in his safety and security of knowing that he can provide all he needs, he is missing the point of all the commandments: relationship with God.

     We often suffer the same fate as this man.  Our possessions starve us from relationship with God, the one from whom all of our possessions come in the first place.  We find security in our home, our job, our closet where we know we have clothes.  We find happiness in a well-stocked pantry, comfy sofas, and heated, energy-efficient living rooms.  We find all we need in our stuff.  You want to know something?  Hop online and do a short research project.  You want to get better at something?  Spend the money to get a tutor, buy the equipment needed, and the memberships needed to practice.  You want to look better?  Go to the store, buy some new clothes, new makeup, or a new car.  All we need.  Right at our fingertips.

     Except all too soon we end up like this rich man.  We have what we want and need, except we are still not happy.  Our possessions don't offer relationship with us.  Your house won't give you a comforting hug when you're having a bad day.  Your closet won't give you solace when you find you don't have a job to which to wear your clothes.  Your pantry won't give you unending love when its shelves become empty.  So what is Jesus' solution?  

Sell all that you have and give it to the poor.

     Again, easy enough, right?  Or...wait...what?  Sell ALL that I have?  Excuse me Jesus?  Surely you can't mean ALL?!?  And thankfully I feel justified in my reaction because the disciples had the same reaction (although knowing the track record of these people who deserted Jesus in his deepest hour of need, it doesn't give me too much solace).  Surely there must be some lesson Jesus is trying to teach and he can't mean everything.
     Well, perhaps to appease my own conscience, I do tend to think Jesus is using hyperbole here.  But his point is made: we trust in our stuff way more than we trust in God.  And in his attempt to help this man see that eternal life can come only through 100% complete and full trust in God, he tells him what that might look like.
     How much to you rely on your stuff?  How much do you trust that your stuff will be there for you?  That your car will always start and run like it should?  That your stockings will stay run-free?  That your pantry will satisfy all your cravings?
     God cares very much about your welfare, and God cares very much that you trust God for all things.  Which is why Jesus talked so much about giving and money.  God cares what you do with your money because your checkbook is as much a statement of faith as the words you say and the deeds you do.  Where your money goes tells a lot about your faith.  What you give to others, your offerings and your gifts, says a lot about your faith.
     Our money has on it, "In God we trust."  So, with this text and with this saying, I am left to ponder the mystery, In what do i trust?