Rich Young Ruler... Track 05 of 11

Rich Young Ruler
Derek Webb

VERSE 1
Poverty is so hard to see
When its only on your t.v. and twenty miles across town
Where were all living so good
That we moved out of Jesus neighborhood
Where Hes 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 cant give me

VERSE 2
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
Well what is this, hey whats the deal
I dont sleep around and I dont steal
I want the things you just cant give me
I want the things you just cant give me

BRIDGE
Because what you do to the least of these
My brothers, you have done it to me
Cause I want the things you just cant give me
____________________________________

Most of us have read the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Matthew 19:16-24) That story is one that we Americans like to conceptualize as a good idea. But we never follow through.

We, being the wealthiest nation, are afraid of poverty. I remember in the in the movie Hotel Rwanda after they shot some footage of the genocide in Rwanda. And Paul ( a local man) thanked Jack (an american) for capturing it on film to show Americans, so that they might step in and do something. And Jack replies I think if people see this footage, they'll say Oh, my God, that's horrible. And then they'll go on eating their dinners. Thats what Americans do. We see poverty and we hope someone else fixes the problem. We go on living our little lives and pretend that we dont see the atrocities overseas, and the poverty stricken families in our own towns and cities. We tell ourselves that its probably their own fault that they are in the condition that they are in. We judge them. And thats not what we are called to do.

We think that since we give a few dollars here and there, that somehow we are part of the solution. But honestly, money doesnt fix all problems. Sometimes we need to get off our butts and get our hands a little dirty for Jesus.

In the book Irresistible Revolution (go and buy it, now) there is a story of a group of homeless people getting kicked out of an abandoned church, the homeless people hung a banner with this question on it How can we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?

Thoughts?