Mat 19:22(ESV) When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. This passage reminds me about a chapter in the book “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer - The Blessedness of Possessing Nothing. In it he makes a distinction between holding wealth, people, and other blessings from God as a trust, or as our own possessions. Having a readiness to give them up at any time required by God who is the owner, and who entrusted it to our care. People with such a mindset do not possess the items (and those items do not possess them either). This man had those possessions and would not let go. He lost an opportunity.
But was Abraham not rich? He had a lot of wealth too - Gen24:34-35(ESV) “I am Abraham's servant. The LORD has greatly blessed my master, and he has become great. He has given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male servants and female servants, camels and donkeys. How come Abraham did not lose his own opportunity?
It is true Abraham was rich. But did you notice even the servant acknowledges these things were given, and they were not acquisitions that held Abraham. He had already given the most precious blessing - Isaac - back to God. Hear David: “But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able thus to offer willingly? For all things come from you, and of your own have we given you. 1Chr29:14(ESV) If the rich young ruler practised this would he not have willing done as Jesus requested? You give up something to gain someone higher Php 3:7-8 (ESV) But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.
Which brings me to a puzzling thing: since the man stood to gain in this present life a hundred fold more what he was asked sell and give to the poor, why did Jesus allow him to go? Why not run after him and say “Wait up. There’s a hundredfold awaiting you if you give this up! Don’t go away.” Mk10:30(ESV) Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. I wonder why He let him go.
Don’t wonder at all. When Peter and other disciples left all to follow Jesus their target and motivation was not money or material acquisitions. It was and ever is Jesus Christ Himself. Motivating people to come over to Jesus Christ to gain money is a wrong approach
What is wrong with that approach? I mean it is true isn’t it? A hundredfold does show up in this present life. He would have gained a disciple - and an eager one too.
Far from it. 1Tim6:5(GW) and conflict between people whose corrupt minds have been robbed of the truth. They think that a godly life is a way to make a profit.You would have simply robbed him of the truth, confused him and further lost him by suggesting that. Mk4:19(ESV) And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. If you must follow Jesus into eternal life He and He alone must be your pursuit.
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