Q: How can ordinary people—people with spouses, kids and jobs—follow Jesus “through the eye of the needle”?
Annan: There are two parts to Jesus’ invitation to the rich man: the giving up—selling everything and giving it to the poor—and the following.
Well, the rich man probably could have physically followed Jesus around, right? I mean, at times huge crowds followed Jesus around, and it’s not clear that they’d all given up everything. It’s a deeper kind of following in question. And Jesus’ answer to the rich man goes to this: What is holding you back from discipleship and love? So it seems a question that Jesus asks all of us—and we can ask ourselves regularly—is, what is keeping us from loving and serving as we should?
Too much money was the answer for the rich man, and probably holds many of us back. But there’s also ambition, busyness, fear, status, pride, comfort … a whole range of idols seduce our worship, don’t they?
So what can people do practically? It seems like we can confess and do something about what’s holding us back—and then get out there following Jesus, so we can love and be loved more profoundly.
For example, if you’ve been helping out at a soup kitchen once a week, you follow Jesus out from behind the counter where you’re ladling the soup and also spend some time sitting next to folks, eating some of the food, listening, maybe laughing, maybe crying, as you open up your heart to people and open your own life to change.
If you or I find ourselves obsessing over money—and we have enough; it’s not a situation of unemployment or not providing the basics for our family—then that’s probably indication we should give more away. Same thing if our giving only skims from our excess.
Is there a part of town that’s too dangerous to go to, that everyone who doesn’t live there should avoid? Then maybe that’s precisely where we should find a church to attend on Sunday morning. Or find some other good and safe way to be there.
Have your vacations only been getaways? How about taking a chance to learn about the reality facing 2 billion people who live on less than $2 a day? Find a good organization or mission who does these things in a culturally sensitive way, and spend time learning how they’re helping. Don’t spend all your time building something or painting walls. Spend time with people. You might not help as much immediately, but I’ve found it opens me and others to hearing how Jesus is inviting us to take that next step through the needle’s eye—whether it’s around the world or around the corner from your house.
I struggle with some of these questions as I now live back in the U.S., with my wife and two young children. Most of us—unless we take vows and move into a monastery—probably get repeated invitations to follow through the eye of the needle in new ways.
Though Jesus makes quite a demand, ultimately He’s inviting the rich young man to a more joyful and meaningful life—for us and for those we’re able to help.
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Click here to watch the video “I Want,” in which Kent Annan shares more about his experiences in Haiti.
Want to win a missions trip to Haiti with Kent Annan? Contestants can submit a short video or a short essay that answers the question: How will going to Haiti encourage you to live dangerously and love fully? For more information visit ivpress.com/haititrip.
Abby Trivett 
James Lasher