Rich Young Ruler Repents

Derek Webb’s new CD is out, and it’s all sorts of controversial. I’ve only listened to the song where he swears a couple times, and I’m not so offended. That’s probably because I swear a couple times, too.

Anyway, I want to revisit some old DW, because I think Christians still need to get good and offended by these lyrics long before they get offended by a couple of swear words. And by “offended,” I mean, “Offended enough to take a good look at ourselves and change.”

poverty is so hard to see
when it’s only on your tv and twenty miles across town
where we’re all living so good
that we moved out of Jesus’ neighborhood
where he’s hungry and not feeling so good
from going through our trash [...]

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 stocks, sell your security
and give it to the poor (“Rich Young Ruler”)

i repent, i repent of my pursuit of america’s dream
i repent, i repent of living like i deserve anything
of my house, my fence, my kids, my wife
in our suburb where we’re safe and white
i am wrong and of these things i repent (“I Repent”)

I remember hearing Derek sing the latter song, as well as the scandalous “Wedding Dress,” at a local suburban evangelical church a few years ago. When he sang the words, “So could you love this bastard child?”, the man sitting in front of us was visibly offended.

Oh, for the lifestyle convenience of being able to get all offended at the word “bastard.” The reason so many “safe” Christians spend all our time being offended is that our lives have become so comfortable – like the rich young ruler’s – that we’re not able to sell our made-up rules and our expensive comforts and go where Jesus is sick on the street.

There’d be nothing wrong with suburban Christianity if it weren’t so damn suburban. But there’s little that is counter-cultural about it. It’s cozy and easy. It’s just like lots of urban ministry, which completely abandons the gospel for some sort of liberal political agenda. If the gospel ain’t rattling people, it ain’t the gospel.

I am tired – very tired – of how quickly we evangelicals justify our absurd wealth (I’m including myself here) with reminders that it’s the love of money, not money itself, that is evil; or that Abraham was rich; or whatever other thing makes us feel better about not giving to the poor. If you’re wealthy and truly giving sacrificially – let’s put flesh and bones on that: giving up the new car, the pool, the GAP or Banana Republic clothes, the unneeded new stylish jacket – and giving to people who are drugged out, out of hope, selling their bodies because they can’t pay for food for their kids, selling drugs for the same reason, robbing people’s houses in desperation, or living on the street in the dead chill of a Rochester winter, then you can make all those true, qualifying statement about wealth. I, for one, am done reciting those things for a while.

The challenge still comes directly from Jesus: sell all you have and give to the poor. It is impossible for a rich person to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The Rich Young Ruler needs to repent. And I need to remember that I am that Rich Young Ruler in more ways than I probably realize.