"Willy Wonka Faith"

Mark 10:17-31

“Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God!  It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”  They were greatly astounded and said to one another, “Then who can be saved?” –Mark 10:24b-26

Do you remember the classic children’s movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? In that movie (based on the book by Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory),  most of the children and their parents don’t have a clue what Willy Wonka is trying to get them to see in his tour of the chocolate factory. He is trying to reward children who truly understand what it means to have the heart of a child. The problem is, none of them do.  Greed and selfishness and self-promotion have already entered their lives through the example of their parents.

So, they all have a creepy and awful conclusion to their tour. Because they didn’t see the true meaning of love and communion with one another and fellowship and sharing.

The scripture above reminds us that it is hard to get to that place we call heaven as long as we are hoarding all of life’s riches for ourselves. It reminds us that we should not try to hoard up money or anything else for our own benefit, but should look out for the oppressed and downtrodden of the world and try to level the playing field by giving what we can.

John Wesley’s motto was “Earn all you can; save all you can; give all you can.” At some points in his life he gave as much as 90 % of his income away, keeping only what he needed to survive and live a modest life.

What do you think of this scripture? What do you think of Wesley's motto and practice? Many of us struggle with it.  If is often said that money doesn’t buy happiness. True, but it sure helps you get through life easier, I have to think. So what defines 'rich' in this passage? Does Jesus just mean 'someone who keeps all their money' instead of someone who shares willingly all they have?

Share your thoughts with me.  I’d love to be in dialogue with you on this.  Email me at peverhart@niwotumc.org or comment below.