What is water?
David Scott Wallace tells the famous existentialist parable in his brilliant commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2004. 2 Fish were swimming together talking about the day when another fish swam by them and asked, “Hey, how’s the water.” The one fish turned to the other and said, “What the heck is water.”
The parable’s point is that we often live and work in a world reality without realizing the predominant framework in which we live and have our being. This happened to me as I was admiring the first-place athletes in the Chicago Marathon whizz by me in wheelchairs. How wonderful that people with disabilities can still participate and excel with the help of technology. As I rode back to church on my bike, I realized I was doing the same. Hey, I’m not disabled! Then I thought of the men and women leading the pack on their legs, supported by costly shoes, nutritionists, gear, etc. How’s the water? We are all disabled, really, and depend on something to assist us. Go deeper. We are all severely dependent on God to support us daily!
One of Jesus’ primary goals in teaching was asking confident people, “How’s the water?” So he did with the rich young man who sincerely wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Excellent question. Jesus played along after hinting at the answer, saying, “No one is good but God.” Jesus listed the last half of the Ten Commandments, and the guy responding said he had kept those. Jesus then said,” Well, there is just one thing then. Sell all you have and give it to the poor, then follow me.” How’s the water?
This should have been an easy investment in light of the immeasurable reward of eternal life. But the man learned something about himself. He was swimming in the water. Deep water. He had other gods and didn’t care about his neighbor. He was such a slave to these dead gods that he left away in sorrow because he wouldn’t give them up, even if that would result in eternal death!
Mark notes something very significant about Jesus before he landed this existential shock. Mark tells us that Jesus looked at him and loved him, and then BAM. He sunk him. Why? Because he loved him. He removed his hope in himself and his doing. He revealed how totally disabled he was by sin. He was a slave to it.
Why? So he could realize he was drowning and look to Jesus, not just for a bit of advice or help, but for complete mercy, forgiveness, and hope. Jesus was saving him from his own oppressive gods, including himself.
No one is good but God. And this God indeed sold all He had, even His life, to give to those in need, you and me. What do you have to do to inherit eternal life? You can’t, no, you won’t do anything. Inheritance is something you get when someone else dies. This man and you received the inheritance of eternal life for free because Jesus died. That alone is our hope and our peace. How’s the water now?
