Epic Fail?

Some of my friends will use the phrase "epic fail" when they, or someone else, fail in a spectacular way.  That phrase has me asking... when is failure "epic"?  

I've been thinking about failure much this past week.  This summer we (at the Loop) are in the midst of an experiment.  While I won't be sure until about a week from now, from where I sit it seems to be failing.  Miserably.  But epically?   I don't know.

I've been looking at the stories of those who failed in the Bible (there are many of them).  Some end in triumph... the person or people learn from their failure, and the next time succeed.  Others?  "Epic fail."

On another day I'll write about those who learn from their failure, but for today I'm thinking about someone who failed and did not recover... because the more I think about his story, the more I am unsettled by it's implications for the church at large (not just The Loop, but The Church - at least in America).

The story that I'm pondering is that of the rich young ruler.  He runs up to Jesus, kneels before him and asks:  "Good teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?"  Jesus lists off the key commandments, and the young man replies:  "I have kept all these..."  Jesus then adds:  "One thing you lack.  Go, sell all your possessions, give to the poor... and come, follow me."  (Mark 10).  The rich young ruler does not take Jesus' invitation, won't give up all he has, and leaves.  This young man has just turned down an internship opportunity with God in the flesh, an opportunity to make an impact on the rest of history, and he walks (Mark writes:  "He went away sad, because he was rich").  I imagine this makes great sense to the young man.  He reasons: "Jesus doesn't understand.  I'm a ruler.  I have responsibilities.  I can't do what He asks!"  And the result?  Epic fail.  

I've always thought that this story was about commitment.  And money.  And yes, failure.  But now I see something else.  WHY did the man fail?  In the past I've thought the reason was greed.  But I think it's more than that.

I think the young ruler comes to Jesus looking for information, but not transformation.  He comes to Jesus wanting a theological answer for his head.  He's been pondering out the list of requirements for "salvation" and he's not sure he's put the right list together.  He thinks:  "Ah!  Jesus will be able to answer my question!"

But when he asks Jesus for an answer, Jesus invites him to a transformed life.  A radically different, adjust-your-priorities kind of life. 

I believe that's still the way Jesus responds to anyone who comes to Him.  When we ask him a question ("what should I do?"  "where should I go?") Jesus will answer our questions (in some shape or form). But then He issues bigger, more important invitation: follow Him into a new, radically transformed life.  This is not a one-time invitation, but an every day one.    

And here's where I'm troubled.  When I look at the church in the U.S., we seem to come to Jesus (and to church) for information.  We sit down, want to be taught (or "fed" in the lingo)... and once we have our information, we leave for the week without ever really responding to the invitation to live in a radically different way.

As I've been looking at our group's failure this summer, I've had to ask:  are we a group who comes for information but not transformation?  And... do we ignore the real invitation of Jesus not because of money but because of busyness?  

If Mark were writing the story of the U.S. church today, would he conclude it with:  "And they went away sad, because they were very busy, and didn't have time for the invitations of Jesus..."?

Are too many of us thinking we're successful while really we're in the midst of an epic fail?