Wealth, Heart, & Heaven: Lessons from the Rich Man

Jesus said many things in the Gospels that are hard for us to hear and sometimes even harder to follow. One of these is the story of the rich man in Mark 10:17-27. I, as well as many others, have wondered if this story suggests that wealth and the sense of security it brings are misguided. It can raise questions such as, “Should I take an oath of poverty?” or “Will I miss heaven because I don’t give away everything I own?”

This man comes to Jesus with a very serious question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” (10:17 NIV). He had followed all the law, including the ones listed by Jesus in verse 19 where He says, “You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’” Notice that these all relate to our relationships with other people.  They are the “do to others what you would have them do to you” portion of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20 & Matt 7:12). 

In his eyes, he was flawless. However, he must have sensed that something was missing, and according to Jesus, he was missing an important thing. He wasn’t missing following one more commandment to earn his place in heaven. No, it was a matter of the heart. Instead of a heart filled with a desire for justice and mercy for others, it was filled with greed and self-indulgence. 

Jesus was essentially asking him to examine his heart, and he came up empty. He was not willing to give up what was necessary in order to become all he was created to be, more like Jesus, and in a relationship with God that went beyond legalism and a list of rights and wrongs.

“Riches were his ultimate concern, and he made of them an idol, deposing God from rightful supremacy in his life. His riches isolated him from the poor” (Leclerc and Cunningham 121). That is the opposite of a holy life and the greatest commandment to love God with all our being and to love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:36-40).

For him, Jesus asked too much. His values and even his self-worth were based on his money and possessions.

I do not believe that being wealthy or having enough is inherently wrong. There were wealthy people who followed Jesus and even gave to His ministry. However, a tension exists between money and discipleship, regardless of one's financial situation. It can present a very real danger to our heart's condition and willingness to follow Jesus like a child (Matthew 6:24; 16:26).

Questions to consider:

1.  Do you ever feel like you need to follow one more commandment to achieve eternal life?

2. What is your ultimate concern in life? Is it loving God with all your heart and loving others, or is it something else?

3. Where are you getting your value system and self-worth? It may not be from money. It could be from anything. (Example: popularity, a dating relationship, image, etc.)

4. Do you sense the tension that exists between what you value most and following Jesus?

5. Are you willing to give up what is necessary to be all that you were created to be, to have a relationship with God in this life, and to have eternal life?

6. Jesus is asking you with love in His eyes to follow Him into the good plans He has for your life. Talk to Him about what is holding you back and ask for a change of heart to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to see people through His eyes, pursuing justice and mercy for others.

Leclerc, Diane and Floyd Cunningham. Holiness. The Foundry Publishing, 2024.