Mark 10:23-27-- How Hard Is It?

And Jesus, looking around, said to His disciples, "How hard it will be for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!" The disciples were amazed at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." They were even more astonished and said to Him, "Then who can be saved?" Looking at them, Jesus said, "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."

The man Jesus was just speaking with left sadly because of the difficulty to follow the command, “Sell your possessions and give to the poor.”  This command is given to all the disciples in Luke 12:33, and is also stated more obscurely in Matthew 6:19: “Store up your treasures in heaven.”  Now Jesus tells the disciples privately an even more difficult saying—That most wealthy people find it impossible to enter God’s kingdom.  The disciples were so amazed that they didn’t believe that Jesus could be saying it.  They were of the opinion, like most (even Tevya in “Fiddler on the Roof”) that it is easier for a wealthy person to be pleasing to God.  They have the luxury to pray whenever they want, and also they seem to have God’s blessing already on them.  

Jesus repeats his statement even more strongly, and broadens it—that it is difficult for anyone to be pleasing to God, but it is near impossible for a wealthy person to be saved.  The camel through the eye of the needle saying  is a proverb for something that is impossible, as Jesus states both before and after the saying.  

The disciples were stunned and then wondered aloud how is it possible for anyone to enter the kingdom of God.  After all, if it is impossible for those whom it is easier, then no one can be saved.  They haven’t yet understood that Jesus was saying that a wealthy person has a harder time being pleasing to God.  Jesus allows them their concept, though, that almost no one can be saved.  He comforts them, then by stating that with God’s help, anyone can enter God’s kingdom.  This does not set aside the commands Jesus stated above.  Rather, he was saying that no one can obey God’s commands without God’s help—including selling one’s possessions and giving to the poor.  Thus, to gain salvation, one must ask God’s assistance to obey God’s commands.

If we look at the perfection of God, none of us can compare.  We all fail.
If we look at the grace of God, we are all welcome. Everyone is able to enter God's presence.
But one thing God never compromises: His love found in the hearts of men.  If we don't have enough love to surrender our possessions for the sake of one who needs it, then we do not love enough for the presence of God.
If we don't have enough love to forgive those who wronged us, we don't have enough love for the presence of God.
If we don't have enough love to be gentle and kind with those who are below us, we don't have enough love for the presence of God.
This seems like a pretty high standard.  But if we ask the Lord, he is able to pull us to that standard.  He may not be able to make us pure or holy enough for the church, but He can make us loving enough to rest in Him.