Maybe if we don’t ask the rich young man’s question, “what
must we do to be saved” we don’t have to apply Jesus’ answer, “give everything away
and follow me.” But then there is always a nagging doubt that Jesus says what he
means and means what he says and the rich will have a hard time finding a hole
in the kingdom gate big enough to squeeze through. So what if we just divest ourselves of
ten percent and give the poor the proceeds from a garage sale of the stuff we haven’t
used in years? Peter feels like he’s done that and more, "we've left everything
and followed you” but then he didn't have much to begin with so he thinks giving away the little he had will boost his bottom line. Jesus' answer to Peter is that the
balance sheet will not be all that pretty as persecutions are the gate of the
kingdom come. This is the problem with both the question, “what must I do to be
saved” and the answer, "do this". I do not think
Jesus answered the question the rich young man asked. He was responding to the
nagging doubt the young man had that despite keeping all the commandments from
his youth and being rewarded with riches he needed something more. The trouble for him is that getting more involved having
less. The trouble for Peter is that having less involved giving more.
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