In 2013 Walt Disney Pictures released the computer-animated feature film ‘Frozen’, inspired by the 1844 Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale ‘The Snow Queen’. During the course of the film Queen Elsa, one of the central characters, sings a song called
‘Let it go’ which went on to become a commercial success, selling millions of copies worldwide when it was released as a single. The song has since been adopted by some as an anthem of self-acceptance and empowerment, although it’s role within the narrative of the film is more complex and potentially ambiguous.

In the Gospel reading that we have today a rich man comes before Jesus asking what he must do to receive eternal life. After confirming that he has followed the commandments of God since his youth Jesus then identifies the one more obstacle that is acting as a stumbling block: The man’s great material wealth. Jesus advises him to sell what he has and give the money to the poor. In so doing he is told that he will build up for himself treasure in heaven. However, the man goes away in shock and grief as he had so many possessions.

We are not told whether the man does ultimately choose to follow Jesus’ advice but the implication from the passage is that his wealth was the obstacle thats preventing him from taking the next step. Jesus then makes the humorous observation that it would be easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God. Some commentators have suggested that Jesus might have been making reference to an actual gate in Jerusalem. However, there is sparse evidence for such a gate actually existing. It therefore seems more likely that Jesus was using this absurd image to make a serious point echoed elsewhere in the Gospels: That you cannot serve both God and money (see Matthew 6:24).

The problem that the rich man seemingly faced was that his love of money outweighed his love of God and by extension the love of his neighbour. Peter makes the point that the disciples had left everything behind in order to follow Jesus (Mark 10:28) and Jesus affirms that those who leave everything and follow him will receive the reward of eternal life and that “many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.” (Mark 10:31).

The question that we might ask ourselves, as we reflect on this passage, is whether there might be obstacles to our discipleship that could act as a stumbling block in our love of God and our neighbour. This could be the love of material wealth and possessions, although it could equally be something else. Anything that we put before God can potentially become an idol, something that becomes the centre of our worship that is not God and represents temporary security to us rather than the eternal security offered to us by God in Christ.

What are the things that we need to let go of in order to grow in grace and holiness with God? What should we leave behind, that will enable us to flourish in our discipleship? Just as in the song ‘let it go’ suggests leaving things behind can be liberating experience for us. For in what we leave behind we may also gain so much more in and through Christ who has given us everything, including an eternal place in his Kingdom.