Store Up Treasures In Heaven

"It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. " The disciples were even more amazed, and said to each other, "Who then can be saved?" (Mark 10:25-26 NIV)

Is money a bad thing? No, not when it's used in the right manner. Sometimes money can overpower everything that our lives are about and we get so focused on it, nothing else matters! Money is wonderful and we all need it to live but be careful not to put money in front of your Christian walk and before God. Here in Mark 10, Jesus is just trying to get the point across that people with wealth are tempted to put their "trust in riches." Being rich does not mean you can't be a Christian, Jesus was just giving an example so they would be aware of the temptations of doing so.

Over in Luke 18:22, Jesus says "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow me!" It seems as though God really puts an emphasis on rich people and may even make people feel as though they can't be in relationship with God for this reason, but that is not so! Jesus was just quick to point out that, if the rich are going to follow Him, then they must be willing to do so with nothing! Jesus knew that if the rich man was ever tested down the road with his riches, then he would give up! So, before Jesus would even let him follow, he wanted him to get rid of everything he had so that nothing would be a hinderance in their fellowship with one another.

Mark 10:27 clears it all up when Jesus says, "With man, this is impossible; but not with God, all things are possible with God." God can make man forget all about his wealth and to put their focus on Him. Only God is able to do such things, and we as his people are so thankful for that! When Jesus makes the analogy that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of the needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God, it was not to be taken literally but as a way to emphasize the difficulty. I read on the internet something I thought was so fitting for this: "God can put the camel through, but it takes divine power to do it; and the process is hard on the camel!" If God can put the camel through the eye of a needle, then he can change a rich man's heart. Not saying it won't be hard on the rich man, but God---only God---can do it!!