mindset of success

I can't really put my finger on when exactly these ideas popped into my head, but I'd say somewhere in the past month I heard or read messages that revolved around the rich man and entering the kingdom of God. Pick your favorite Bible translation, online or from your shelf, and read the following passages: Matthew 19:16-30, Mark 10:17-31, and Luke 18:18-30. I'll wait.

Alright, you're back; and yes, I do realize that you just read 3 nearly identical versions of the same story. Here's the rub, most times when people preach these scriptures, it's because they are trying to remind people about the importance of charity, tithing, and other concepts related to giving away money. On the surface, that is a very valid point to make, but there's more there and you have to want to wrestle with the idea a bit. Jesus never said the wealthy couldn't enter into the kingdom of God, he only says that it is extremely difficult by juxtaposing the largest common animal in the region with the smallest opening most people would know of readily. Jesus also tells the rich young man (or ruler) to give away everything he had and then follow him, but the man refused the offer. The problem isn't that he wasn't a charitable person, he might even have consistently tithed; the problem is his mindset.

The implication is that the young man is successful, which is kind of a no-brainer given that we're told he's wealthy and possibly some kind of ruler or local leader. His entrance into the kingdom isn't difficult because being rich and successful is a bad thing, and one might even pose the theory that he need not give away everything he owns immediately (if he were not going to be one of Jesus' disciples). Being wealthy makes joining the kingdom of God difficult because it requires a complete and total shift in focus for your life. This is important so I'll say it again: being wealthy makes joining the kingdom of God difficult because it requires a complete and total shift in focus for your life. The fact that someone is rich is usually a sign that they have been very successful in the world and its economy, but to be successful in God's kingdom requires a completely different perspective. God's kingdom isn't driven by the pursuit of money, power, and influence; it's about building relationships, fostering community, and loving God and neighbors. Godly pursuits are relational, God's economy is built on love, and money is a low priority commodity in the kingdom. Worldly success is built up by gathering power around yourself, obtaining influence among others to bolster your position in society, and using these in combination with your skills to stockpile wealth. Kingdom success turns that economy on its head: power isn't gathered, but utilized when opportunities are presented to better a community; influence doesn't bolster personal stature nor is it exploited, but is used for the benefit of others; and the primary pursuit isn't money, it's God's work in the world - money just comes in handy.

If I can pull together some other things that I've had back-burnered for a while, I'll try to get into a more regular rhythm of posting. Until then, I hope you continue enjoy the twisting and sporadic journey though these things I think about.

Cheers!