Jesus saw through the man. And loved him. That’s what stuck out to me. He saw his heart and he loved the man. But the man had a problem. And Jesus was going to challenge it.
“Good teacher,” he asked. “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
Jesus reminded him of the commandments. The young man affirmed that he kept all of them.
If being a good person and keeping all the commandments could have saved him, then this would have been the end of the discussion.
It wasn’t.
Then Jesus challenged him about his true worship. The idol in his heart.
In a few words he basically told him to go sell everything, give it to the poor, and follow Jesus.
The man was devastated. He went away sad because he had great wealth. He didn’t want to give it up.
Keeping the commands he had done. But give up his financial security and the privilege it brought him?
He couldn’t do it.
Just as we saw previously with Jesus and the children, there was a message here not just for the man but for all of us. The greatest leaders are those who serve others. And in this message, it was about sacrificing yourself for others.
Even the disciples were astonished.
Jesus told them it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
“Who then can be saved?” they asked.
Jesus answered.
“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”
Then Jesus told them that those who had left everything to follow him would be rewarded in this life and the life to come.
Jesus wasn’t saying that everyone should sell everything and give to the poor and follow him. What he was saying was that self-sacrifice was the way of following him. It means laying down everything to make it available and usable to God. And God will see and will bless that.
Can you imagine a world day where the leaders of nations and communities sacrificed their wealth, possessions and power to serve the people? Expecting nothing in return? Leaders who do such things are rare. But when it happens, there is derision from the others in leadership but respect from the people.
This story challenges us as well. Are we willing to lay down our possessions, our money, our pride, our position, our respect in society in order to follow Jesus? What is he calling us to do?
Sometimes he says to wait. Other times he says to give.
Sometimes he tells us to speak when it will cost us everything. Other times he tells us to be quiet.
Sometimes he tells us to stay. Other times he tells us to go.
The question is are our hearts at the ready? What are we still hanging on to? What idols do we have that Jesus wants to address so we can be about the business of following Him?
Mark 10:17-31
17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” 24 And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is[a] to enter the kingdom of God! 25 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” 26 And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him,[b] “Then who can be saved?” 27 Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” 28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”