What One Thing?

A certain man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" (Mt 19:16).  Jesus told him to keep the commandments of God, to which the man replied, "All these I have kept....What do I still lack?” (v. 20).   Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me" (v. 21).

The man went away very sad because he was very wealthy.  Jesus had struck at his core problem, that one thing that would prevent him from having treasure in heaven: not his wealth but his love of money.  He could have used his wealth to bless the poor and, in so doing, make deposits of real treasure in heaven.  But his attachment to his money would not allow him to detach from his wealth to take hold of kingdom riches.

The man's "One Thing" was not something that was so evident as the external keeping of he commandments.  It was inside his very being - a trust in material things instead of faith in the Living God.  In truth, he was breaking the First Commandment, "You shall have no other gods before me" (Ex 20:30).   He worshipped money above God.

His trust, his faith and his very hope of life resided in the amount of money he possessed.  He could not follow Jesus if it meant giving away the very core of his being, the source of his well-being, that in which he placed his trust - money.

The one thing we need to do is to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" (Matt 22:37).  The simple fact is, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matt 6:24).  We have to make a choice as to whether we will trust in the riches God promises or trust in the riches of this world.  Jus' Say'n.