Mockingbird, Part II

Derek Webb’s new album Mockingbird is filled with provocative, challenging lyrics (as well as beautiful music, I might add). This song is called "Rich Young Ruler":

Poverty is so hard to see
When it’s only on your TV
Or twenty miles across town
Where we’re all living so good
Now that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
Where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
From going through our trash

He says more than just your cash and coin
I want your time, I want your voice
I want the things you just can’t give me

So what must we do?
Here in the West we want to follow you
We speak the language and we keep all the rules
Even a few we made up
Come on and follow me
But sell your house, sell your SUV
Sell your stock, sell your security
And give it to the poor

Well what is this? Hey what’s the deal?
I don’t sleep around and I don’t steal
But I want the things you just can’t give me

Because what you do to the least of these
My brothers, you have done it to me
I want the things you just can’t give me

I played this song for the youth group the other night, and it provoked a few good questions. Obviously the song is a re-telling of the story of Jesus and the rich young ruler. Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell everything he had and follow him, and the young man went away sad, because he couldn’t bring himself to part with his wealth. In speaking about this story, we often point out that Jesus told the rich young ruler to do that, not everyone. So it’s not a cut-and-dried requirement for following Jesus. I agree with that, but I think too often it’s an excuse to dismiss the idea, like Jesus would surely never ask that of us. So this song provokes us to think about what it is we just won’t give to Jesus… and then provokes again in saying maybe we’ve gotten so used to our wealth that we really wouldn’t be able to part with it if Jesus asked ("sell your house, sell your SUV…"). Sometimes we read that story and think "Thank goodness Jesus isn’t asking me to do that." But maybe he is. Are we open to that? Or do we dismiss the idea out of hand?