THE BLESSING OF EMPTINESS
By: Rev. Arnel C. Tan

"Go and sell all you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come follow me." Mark 10:21b

Definitely Jesus is not against owning things or having money. Helping the poor requires money too. The issue here is not about possessions of things, it's about being possessed by things or in this case money. Materially abundant while spiritually dead, that's the true condition of this rich young ruler. Actually the honest description of this man should be a rich young greedy ruler. What complicates the matter is not that Jesus is in a dilemma but it is this young man who doesn't even know then later won't repent that he is in a critical crisis spiritually.

The obstacle that blocks his following Christ is the deep grip of greed in his heart. On the outward it is surprising that he could not even come close to be a suspect of being greedy, but the Lord sees the heart. It is here the Lord brings a timely insight of the blessing of being empty so He can fill. In emptiness though one may have much but his heart is not in love affair with riches, emptiness is obvious when one values God and his grace more than any human effort. Spiritual emptiness leads to a deep hunger for God and an authentic admission of one's need of grace and spontaneously the display of grace abounding becomes an irresistible attraction to this graceless world.

Radically Jesus wants this young man to get rid of the greed now! Cut off your ties with these glittering snares that have denied you the blessing of being empty. The result of the spiritual lab test is positive, positively greedy. What's the next step? Jesus wants him to admit and repent to bring the spiritual lab test to the Great Physician who man make the greedy generous! No one can do this except Christ, not the good labor man, projects for humanity and the list goes on. Certainly not the law who according to this young man he has observed since a child, it is Christ and Christ alone who delivers from greed!

There is just one thing that this young man need to see and that is his emptiness inside while having all these material accessories outside. When the Lord transform any one of us He shows us our emptiness, this emptiness is slowly transformed to a realization of our desperate need of God not just of His gifts but God Himself. In this in acknowledging emptiness that God cause humility and grace to abound in the life of the greedy, making him a mysterious testimony of grace. The blessing of being empty is that it leads those who see their emptiness to lift up their cups to Him who can pour grace and create a deep spiritual appetite for God.