Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, “You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me. (Mark 10:21)
“You lack one thing.”
It certainly wasn’t confidence. This guy who has come to Jesus to ask what he must do to, “inherit eternal life,” is confident he has kept all the commandments – at least those that have to do with our relationships with others – since his youth. That’s impressive! I wish I could say the same with such confidence.
So what is it? What is the “one thing” this man who has many possessions is lacking?
Maybe he is lacking a generous spirit. That would make sense as he has many possessions, and Jesus tells him to sell them all and give the money to the poor. That takes a very generous spirit.
Jesus also says then he will have, “treasure in heaven.” Perhaps that is what he is lacking. Jesus also says, “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” As his treasure is in this world, so too is his heart.
I would say he is lacking self-awareness but that’s just because I’m still hung up on his claim that he has kept all the commandments from his youth.
Maybe that’s not the point. Maybe it doesn’t matter what this rich guy is lacking to anyone but this rich guy. Maybe the real point of the story is to turn Jesus’ question onto ourselves and our own lives.
What am I lacking? The ability to forgive and let go? Or the ability to love my enemy? Am I the one who lacks a generous spirit? Or the self-awareness to recognize my own shortcomings? Am I as lucky as this man with many possessions who is lacking only one thing? An honest assessment would likely reveal that I am lacking many things.
The good news is that Jesus still loves us even when we are lacking, just like Jesus loved this man. The even-better-news is that, like this man with many possessions, Jesus shows us the way to overcome what we lack. We may not like the way Jesus shows us. We may even walk away from it. But the path forward remains, nonetheless. And so does God’s love.
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