Needle

It is TOUGH to try to take a picture of the eye of a needle.  I didn't think I would need to bother to use my tripod (probably should have) and so I found myself trying to keep the camera still enough to capture this.  I had to set the ISO (speed) up super high because I was zoomed way in, the autofocus kept trying to focus on the background rather than the tiny head of the needle, and the list could go on.  If that was hard, try getting ANYTHING through the eye of the needle other than what is supposed to - some thread...and definitely not a camel.

That is, of course, one of the most well-known teachings of Jesus, which I was reminded of yesterday in Mark where we read that it is harder for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God than it is for a camel to go through the eye of a needle.  (Of course, Jesus follows up noting that all things are possible with God...)  As one who is rich, I don't like this passage.  (And when I say rich, I understand that I am wealthier than 99.5% of the world based on my annual income - see www.globalrichlist.com).  So, while I am not "rich" in the traditional sense (mansion, 10 cars, etc), in reality...I am rich.  I am part of the 1%.

What I have come to recognize about this passage is that its not about God's ability to save someone who is rich (again, anything is possible with God), but it is instead about my own ability to recognize my responsibility to serve and help others and also my recognition that I don't have it all together and I don't have everything figured out - that I need God and I need others.  When we feel like we "have it all," it is pretty easy to not recognize the place that Jesus should have in our lives.

And I thought it was hard to just take the picture of the eye of a needle...