Learning From Camels

Recently the Torontcamelo Star reported that every 44th    person living in Toronto is a millionaire. The city boasts the 15th highest concentration of millionaires in the world. While this is impressive to us, I wonder what the Lord would say about it?

We find a good idea in Mark 10:25 when Jesus said, “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.” What are we to make of this? Some have speculated that there was a small gate in Jerusalem’s wall called “The Eye of the Needle” that was very hard for camels to go through. The problem is that there is no evidence such a gate ever existed. It’s better to assume Jesus literally meant the small space on a literal needle. With a typical camel weighing anywhere from 700 to 2200 pounds, the task would be impossible! Of course, Jesus is exaggerating so we’d get the point. It’s tough for wealthy people to have the heart and mind to get into the kingdom. While the wealthy are certainly welcome like anybody else, the obstacles are many.

So what about all the millionaires in our society? I think you know the answer. To man, a great deal of wealth is attractive. To God, it means tremendous barriers. Wealth in itself is not wrong, but it can easily steal hearts and souls. Learn from camels.

– Tim Johnson