The definition of identity is who you are, the way you think about yourself, the way you are viewed by the world, and the characteristics that define you.* In the book of Mark there was a man who came and knelt before Jesus. We don’t know his name, only his identity. He was rich, he was young, and he was a ruler. He identified Jesus as “Good Teacher,” and I believe he also saw himself as good. He wanted to know how to be good enough to inherit eternal life.
Jesus responded to his question with a question, “Why do you call me good? Then He went on to say, “No one is good but One -- God” (Mark 10:18). I see myself in this story. When you’re from a large family it’s very important to claim an identity. My nickname was “Saint Sarah,” which might give a hint as to the identity that I was going for. Like the rich young ruler I didn’t just want to be good, I wanted to be good enough for God.
Jesus then listed what I would call the “horizontal commandments,” the ones about how we are to relate to each other. The young man responded that he had kept all these from his youth. Jesus gazed with love at this young, rich ruler, and told him that he was lacking one thing: “Go, sell all you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow Me.” With this the man went away sorrowing because the truth was revealed. He didn’t love God with all his heart. He had made his wealth an idol that he couldn’t let go of.
If the rich man had sold everything he owned and given it to the poor, would he have purchased eternal life? If he had followed Jesus, where would Jesus have led him? Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where He was to be crucified. At the cross everyone who had followed Jesus fled. No one proved good enough to obey the commandment to love God with all your heart...no one. Why? Because no one is good but One -- God.
I believe the truth is that we all cling to one idol or another. There is the desire that was born in the garden, offered by the serpent, that we might be like God. I know I wanted to be good enough for God, but I learned that it was, “when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).
*YourDictionary
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