Counterfeit: Success — Wednesday
Matthew 19:21
“If you want to give it all you’ve got,” Jesus replied, “go sell your possessions; give everything to the poor. All your wealth will then be in heaven. Then come follow me.” (MSG)
I imagine that most people are familiar with the story of the rich young ruler found in Matthew. In the story, the rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks how he can achieve eternal life. The young ruler has lots of worldly wealth and believes he’s ‘good’ because he follows the rules, but his emptiness has led him to Jesus. The ruler then proudly boasts that he’s kept all of God’s commands, which is obviously impossible. Left with no choice, Jesus gives this young ruler an ultimate challenge. He tells him to sell everything he has and give it to the poor, then follow Him.
I’ve noticed that sometimes people interpret this passage differently than it was intended. Jesus’ challenge to this young ruler was not a blanket statement for all believers. Jesus is not declaring that to follow Him you must sell everything you own and give it to the poor. Jesus is giving a specific command to the specific person depicted in this passage. He speaks directly and individually to the young man who approached him, a young man who believes he has achieved success. However, Jesus essentially says to him, ‘If you truly want to be successful, give up the worldly thing you love the most and follow me, for true wealth is stored in Heaven.’
Wednesday’s Reflection
I can’t help but wonder: what am I holding on to in this life, masked as success, that Jesus wants me to give up to follow Him more faithfully? Pray today and ask for His help becoming a better follower!
