“And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’” (Mark10:23)
Jesus is saying here that not only is it hard for the rich man to enter the kingdom of God, it is impossible! He is not saying that wealth and possessions are the problem. Wealth is not evil if we use it as His stewards. He gives wealth, money and possessions to be used for Him, to build his kingdom, not ours. But if we trust in them for security, we are worshipping a false idol, we are putting our faith in something that is not God. Indeed, it is impossible for any who do this to enter into the kingdom of heaven. If someone puts faith for the future in the material, then that person will be lost. Material things corrupt and rot away. Certainly they can never buy eternal life. Riches and possessions are not the source of salvation or the means we use to achieve it.
What Jesus here says about the rich applies to each of us. If we trust in any thing other than God, we sin. If we hold onto those things which give us security when God wants us forsake them, to change our ways, to place our trust in him completely, we sin. Some of us may indeed place our trust in wealth and riches, but maybe some of us place our faith in our own self, our education, our own abilities and talents, our jobs, our family, our experience, our culture, our heritage, our political affiliation. Some of us may place more faith in the United States of America to keep us safe than we do in the Lord God. But if we are indeed citizens of the heavenly kingdom, God will not allow this. He will work to change us. He will send change and adversity to discipline us and refine us into the image of His Son. And he will enable us to change.
What are you holding onto? Is it money? Is it family? Is it tradition? Is it the status quo? Is it your nationality or culture? Is it some sin? God wants to change all these things that are not of Him, that we value more than Him. We can resist his changes, and turn away. We might think we are okay, that we really aren’t that bad. We might be afraid of really looking at ourselves because we fear letting go of our control and trusting in God completely. If so, the Lord comforts us with the words “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”