And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.
And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had great possessions.
And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!
And the disciples were astonished at his words. But Jesus answereth again, and saith unto them, Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!
It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
We see a rich young ruler coming to Jesus and honoring Him as a Good Teacher. His interest was in inheriting eternal life. When asked about keeping the 10 commandments, he said he kept them from his youth. So he was religious. Jesus saw his heart. He then told the young ruler that he lacked on thing. The Master then commanded him to sell all his possessions and give them to the poor.
There are somethings we learn from this incidence. The lessons are as follows:
1) Money or possessions reveal the condition of the heart
Before giving the instruction, we are told that Jesus looked at him and He loved him. This young rich ruler was disappointed with Jesus at the command he gave him. He had great riches. He viewed this as loss to him. He left Jesus sorrowfully. He trusted in these riches more than he could trust in Jesus. We are not told that he carried out this instruction. Furthermore, we are not told whether or not he came back to Jesus.
Now, how do you feel when the Lord tells you to give more than you feel like? Do you choose possessions over the Creator of heaven and earth? It may not only be the issue of money and possessions. Even if it comes to other priorities of our lives, we need to make God number one. You can conduct a self- introspection. God loves you deeply. He is a jealous God. He does not want anything to be above Him in our lives. He wants to be at the throne of our hearts.
According to Matthew 6:19-21 the Bible says, "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
We often hear that thieves entered a business place and took a lot of money and ran away. This shows us that indeed, the scripture is true that earthly treasures are subject to many things. They can be spoiled or stolen. So it is advisable to lay our treasures in God. Our treasures in the heavenly kingdom are safe. How do you invest in God's Kingdom? You give as God directs you in His Word and by the Holy Spirit.
2) God has better things for you
Jesus cannot tell you to do something that will disadvantage you. According to Jeremiah 29:11 the Bible says, "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end."
God has good thoughts about you. He wants you to experience the fulfillment of your dreams. The rich young ruler felt like he was loosing. Jesus afterwards said it was difficult for those who trust in reaches to enter into the Kingdom of God.
Peter then asked as to what is it they would get in return since they had left all to follow Him (Jesus). That is found in Mark 10:28-31.
"Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
But many that are first shall be last; and the last first."
If you fully give your heart to God and follow Him, you do not lose. You get a hundredfold return. The young rich ruler missed out. He was going to inherit what he was looking for and also a hundredfold on what he sold had he obeyed Jesus. So you will not lose when giving according to God's instructions. God has better things for you. Obey Him in all things.
It is therefore far better to put your trust in God instead of earthly things. Earthly things were given to us for enjoyment. But God must be the first priority of our lives. Money and possessions really reveal the condition of our lives. But God has better things for you.
God bless You in Jesus Name! Amen.
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