Recently I was reading the story of the Rich Young Ruler (Luke 18:18+). He had it all. God had truly blessed him...probably lived in a gated community, had the latest camels for transportation. Can't believe he wouldn't have had the newest flat panel HD stone tablets in his living room for entertainment. He had to be a GOOD man...a stand-up citizen supporting lots of GREAT humanitarian efforts as well as making certain that he tithed to the local temple. He may even have had a position on one of the temple committees. Yet something with his life troubled him to the point to ask a question of Jesus. "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" It seems he had it all except the security of what eternity held for him.
As with all of us, when we ask Jesus a question, His answer will usually rock our world. "Sell EVERYTHING you have and give to the poor....then, come and follow me." The story goes that he went away sad. HE WENT AWAY........SAD.
As I read that, I couldn't help but wonder what the young man was thinking. But then my thoughts turned to Jesus. Why didn't He go after the man? Tell him it was what was best for him? Explain that if he just maybe started selling a little bit and see how it went that He would help him? No...Jesus didn't pursue or conj ole. He just challenged the man's heart and let him make his own choice.
I think that's the way Jesus chooses to grow us. When we come face to face with Him and have the courage (or fear) to ask Him what's on our mind, He sometimes brings a hard word. Something that will either deepen our devotion to Him or leave us going away...sad.
These last couple of months I have been looking at my life and asking myself "where is God asking me to sell everything"? There have been times when I have gone away from the hard word God has shared with me...not defiantly or lacking understanding what He was asking. But with sorrow because I lack the faith needed to respond. I am trying to change that and be obedient to the hard ask of Jesus.
Today, is God asking you to "sell" something? What will your response be? Keep growing.....
