The rich young ruler

Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all that he had. The rich young ruler couldn't do it. I've heard so many sermons preached about this passage. They each bypass the actul selling of his goods and reflect on the man's heart. It's as if the preachers of the Christian church are telling us that there is no need to part with your earthly belongings as long as your heart is in the right place. I'm just going to be frank: I don't see anything of that nature in this passage. This guy was 'just' in everything that he did. He wanted to do even more. Jesus told him to sell everything. He couldn't do it. I think it's aboslutely WRONG to preach a message saying that "his heart was in the wrong place, and you haven't any reason to part with your earthly belongings."

I believe that man is ruled by what he posesses. You have to devote time and money (which takes time to incure) to everything you possess. The less you have, the less time and money you need to devote to stuff. I believe this to be fact. I don't think that there is any getting around it. The question that I'm left pondering is what of our conveniences might actually be affording us time.

If I own a vehicle which allows me to move from one point to another much quicker than walking, how much extra time is the vehicle actually affording me and at what expense? Pollution is an obvious expense. As is excersize lost while driving, as opposed to walking, leading to poorer health. The loss of time spent in nature, not listening to the birds and the wind in the trees, I feel is an expense. Obvisously the vehicle allows travel in harsher conditions that walking wouldn't allow. I'm responcible for car insurance, gasoline, oil, maintainenance. All of which, I must spend time making money, inorder to afford. My vehicle would require time cleaning. I am wondering of the checks and balances of all the stuff we've accumulated in this, our society of rich young rulers.

It seems we've surrounded ourselves with un-natural time saving devises that have disonected us from nature and, I feel, are swallowing up much of our time. I'm frusterated.