Welcoming Host Puts Forth House Rules

On the day my last column was published, a friend called - a “non-church” friend by his own description.

“When are you going to stop talking about radical hospitality and go on to something more practical?”

He wasn’t being totally negative. He normally likes how I write, but he doesn’t tune into my notion of God’s nature being that of radical hospitality.

I told him my plan was to look at Jesus as the radical host of God from Christmas until Easter, so that means I take one more shot at radical hospitality. This is that shot. But I’ll do my best to be more practical.

How about money? That sounds pretty practical.

Jesus talked about money more than any other single thing. He spoke of how it works for you and against you. Can God’s radical host be any more practical? I don’t think so.

But we need to realize something about being a host like Jesus. It isn’t all smiling invitations and good feelings. Being a good host, not to mention a radical host, also includes challenging your guests with house rules.

So while Jesus went far beyond anything we can imagine in his eagerness to welcome an unwelcome person or eat with an untouchable person, he didn’t let them do just what they wanted. He challenged people then - and us now - to learn how God really wants us to deal with each other and with the truths of life - the “house -rules” - he has set in motion.

Nowhere is his challenge more specific than in his attitude toward money.

Jesus wasn’t against money, or even wealth. But he did know we struggle with keeping our balance when it comes to money. Of all the images he uses to speak of money, here are two that speak volumes to me:

First, “… for where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” (Matthew 6:21) Then, “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.” (Mark 10:25)

Can you imagine a camel squeezing through a needle’s eye? Sounds like fun. But that’s all it ends up being if we stop at the surface of things.

It’s an absurd picture Jesus draws, which is probably why he drew it. We may not laugh at his imagery, but I have no doubt his disciples did. Because Jesus was making a little Jewish joke.

In his creative humor, he confronts his disciples with a tough theological challenge. It’s impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

Was Jesus really talking about “greedy”? Not likely. For if he had been talking only about greedy people, his disciples wouldn’t have been so amazed at his word-picture.

You see, in their culture, riches were generally assumed to be a sign of God’s favor. So Jesus did the unexpected in that moment. Being rich was not a sign of God’s favor.

So what’s so good in being rich? Now you’re getting it. To hear Jesus, the best thing you can do if you’re rich is - ready for this? - let go of it before it distorts your life!

It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.

God’s radical host says so. And we may even believe it - especially if we aren’t “rich” in material possessions.

But what about those other things we collect, hoard, obsess about? Jesus’ focus wasn’t only on money.

He saw so many things and attitudes that separated people from God, that took God’s place. What he really invites people to think about is a fuzzy life-focus!

Other things can possess us.

If your life is obsessively centered about the church and religious matters, Jesus might say, “Leave your prayers and praise songs behind, because it’s easier for a camel … than for a religious person to enter the Kingdom of God.”

Would he say something like that? Yes, he does … when our dependence on religious practices stops us from loving God and others except on our narrowly prescribed terms.

Or, what if you are fiercely independent, or big on self-control, or possessed by your appearance, or proud of your humility, or. … Get the picture? Do you get Jesus’ point?

It isn’t riches or religious purity or independence or self-control or proud humility or appearance that give you peace. We can never earn what is ours as a gift in the first place.

All we can do is work hard to remember the obvious: “Where your treasure is, there will be your heart also.” What treasure do you cling to? That’s where you’ll find your heart, my friend.

Jesus’ reminder works to protect us from obsessing about things and attitude. Jesus’ radical invitation is a practical challenge to live the truly free life God keeps offering us.

Now, if only we could figure how to pull that darn camel out of the needle’s eye!

xxxx

The following fields overflowed: CREDIT = Paul Graves The Spokesman-Review