We often prioritize the aristocrats of society, people with high social ranking, the wealthy, and those from whom we think we can receive something. Why would we go out of our way to help others? Why help the poor and needy when they have nothing to give us in return? Instead, we roll out the red carpet for the upper echelons of society, and we scoff at the poor and needy.
Jesus, in this text, is speaking to a rich young man who had such money that when Jesus told him to sell all he had and follow him, he went away sad because he just had too much money. He was not concerned about the poor; he was not concerned about the things of God.
So, too, in our society, we tend to overlook those around us who are in need while we head on to church and never give a second thought to people around us who are in need of our help. Jesus responded by saying it's hard for the rich to make it into heaven. He's flipping the norm, from front to back, back to front, from last to first, and from first to last. We must be careful who we're overlooking because they might be the ones we have to answer to later in life.
We might need them later!
Sometimes, we overlook people who have the blood type that we might later need, the kidney that we might need, but because they are not the aristocrats and the famous (in whatever setting), we don't see them, but God says, watch out I'm flipping things upside down.
Don't forget, we are God's hands and feet on earth. And as we do to others, we do it unto God.
James reminds us to live according to the word of God. He says, "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers." James 2:8-9 NIV.
The challenge today is to locate someone in need and be a blessing to them. Even if you're in need, you be the blessing you want to receive, and I guarantee you'll be surprised at how God begin to change things in your life.
