One Thing

"Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, 'One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.'  But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property."  Mark 10:20-21

Most every Christian is familiar with the story of the rich young ruler.  Famously, he approached Jesus and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus directed the man's attention toward six of the Ten Commandments.  Parenthetically, each of them had to do with how we are required to treat others.  The young man assured Jesus that he had obeyed all of those commandments since he was a child.  Then Jesus, with love and compassion for him, uttered the words, "One thing you lack."

Fully embraced and understood, those words are jarring, shocking and terrifying.  Before reading further, close your eyes and meditate on them and what you think they mean.

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Imagine going through your life and doing the very best you can to serve and please God.  Imagine feeling that you had done everything that you knew how to do to adhere to being the type of person the Creator of the universe made and desires you to be.  Imagine feeling really good about it and being ready to take the next step to secure your eternity. You've attended worship faithfully, prayed and studied daily, sacrificially given of your means, been morally upright and shared the gospel with others. Now imagine having it revealed that there is "one thing you lack." 

Beloved, it is critical that we are cognizant of any such "one thing" that may exist in our lives.  This means that we must constantly take inventory of anything that could cause us to turn away from God, despite our best efforts to live lives that honor Him.  For the rich young ruler, it was his unwillingness to give up his vast and valuable earthly possessions that cost him the heaven that he had modeled his life to obtain and specifically requested.   

What can be required of you by the Lord that you would refuse?  Do not be quick with your answer.  Recall, for example, that Abraham was asked to sacrifice his promised son.  Would any of us do that?  And let us not simply focus on things we may be asked to do on the spot.  The implications are far greater when we consider the things that do not please God that are a part of our daily lives, despite our Christian claims.  These are things to which we might have become blind or we may be fully aware of but unwilling to cease.  Do not let "one thing you lack" keep you from the place that has been prepared for you. 

Remember this also: despite claiming to keep all of the commandments all his life, his decision to not share his wealth for the benefit of others showed the truth about his claims.  We are rarely as pious as we might think. 

In pursuit of a transformed life, 

Lee