MATTHEW 19, 20

 TEXT TO REFLECT ON

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.

23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”

26 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

MATTHEW 19:21-26

REFLECT

In this brief encounter that Jesus had with a wealthy young man, Jesus highlighted two life truths: the first was about the everyday reality of exchange; the second was about the foolishness of human nature.

THE REALITY OF EXCHANGE or THE OPPORTUNITY COST

I first learned the term ‘opportunity cost’ in my economics class in Junior College. Opportunity Cost is a simple concept that is present in every choice that we make in life: that I have to give up something important or valuable to me, in order to gain something else that may be even more valuable than the one I give up. We observe this reality every moment of our lives. Even while writing this blog at five in the morning, I have had to give up a few hours of precious sleep in exchange for time to write this piece which I hope will be more worthwhile than my sleep. Snark aside, the reality of exchange is ubiquitous. As a student, I had to exchange hours of fun and play for good grades. As an adult, I continue to exchange hours of play for a salary. Often we make huge sacrifices for something that we deem even more important than the sacrifices that we make. When I was very young, my parents exchanged simple everyday luxuries to buy a house that took up nearly all of their income for many years. For many years, we lived in a relatively large house that had hardly any furniture, because my parents could not afford to buy furniture after buying the house. I remember our family ‘inheriting’ a black and white television from my grandparents who had upgraded to a colour TV. 

We exercise this exchange when we prepare for the reality of old age and retirement. A large portion of our income is stashed away in CPF savings or to buy annuities so that we will continue to enjoy an income after we have retired and are no longer earning anything from work. Often a huge opportunity cost is involved, because the money that we stash away cannot be spent and will only bear dividends many years from now. This exchange is considered very wise because it takes into consideration the certainty of a time when we will no longer be working. 

Jesus taught the rich young man another certainty: the certainty of death. Just like making provision for retirement, we need to make provision for eternity. And the exchange is this: give to the poor in order to accumulate treasures in heaven. The opportunity cost of giving to the poor is high when we deny ourselves of many luxuries which we could have enjoyed with our money; but the exchange is essential because death and the afterlife is inevitable.

THE DECEPTIVENESS OF HUMAN NATURE

I have often found myself saying, I will give more generously when I have more. But Jesus in his explanation to his disciples about the young man’s decision to not invest in heaven implied that the more one has, the harder it will be for that person to give. And I have found this insight to be so true. When I first earned any income, I gave to the poor a large percentage of my earnings. But as my income increased, I began to worry more and more about depleting my growing income. It was a terrible irony: the more I had, the more I worried about having less. I have observed this reality among those I have ministered. The poor gave as if they were rich; the rich hoarded as if they were poor. This is a terrible trap that only God can reverse.  

RELATE

Setting aside a portion of our money to give to the poor is an investment strategy that is most often ignored even though it is clearly taught in the Bible. Can this be because while we can trust our financial institutions and even CPF to pay us the dividends that they promised us upon our retirement, we find it hard to trust that God will give us the dividends that He has promised when we enter heaven? I cannot think of any other reason.

REST

The Savior is waiting to enter your heart

Why don't you let Him come in

There's nothing in this world to keep you apart

What is your answer to Him

Time after time He has waited before

And now He is waiting again

To see if you're willing to open the door

Oh how He wants to come in

If you'll take one step toward the Savior, my friend

You'll find His arms open wide

Receive Him, and all of your darkness will end

Within your heart He'll abide

From the Hymn The Saviour Is Waiting by Ralph Carmichael 1958

Chiu Ming Li