Maybe He Doesn't Turn Away

 In Mark 10: 1-30, we see the rich, young man, turn his back to Jesus, he turns away from Jesus, he turns around and walks back to his riches.

But what if that's not what he's doing?  What if he is just doing what Jesus told him to do--"...go, sell what you own and give the money to the poor..."

I picture the young man going to sell everything and give to the poor. That's what Jesus told him to do.  

Of course, my nit-pikking isn't the point.  The only attachment we should have is to God. Certainly, material things are not more important than God.  But this incident showing the young man turning away from God because he can't leave his material wealth doesn't prove that's what he is doing.  Mark should have the young man arguing with Jesus and then turning away from Him in disgust.

Note that Jesus didn't say to the young man to give his money to Jesus; He's poor. I suppose then Jesus would have been accused of coercing the young man with a promise of inheriting eternal life.  Then rich people could buy their way into heaven and we can't have that.