17And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" 18And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: `Do not kill, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.'" 20And he said to him, "Teacher, all these I have observed from my youth." 21And Jesus looking upon him loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing; go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." 22At that saying his countenance fell, and he went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions. 23And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How hard it will be for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!" 24And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, "Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." 26And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, "Then who can be saved?" 27Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God."
This passage highlights that salvation is not about earning through moral achievements but about radical dependence on God’s grace (Mark 10:27 – "With man this is impossible, but not with God."). It is only through God’s grace that we can be not led into temptation, and that we can be delivered from eveil. We cannot do it alone. We need God. So when the man asks “What can I do?” Jesus is saying to him - have faith in God. Listen to God and be steered through life by him. Because if we are not being led by God, we are being led by something - the pursuit of power, the pursuit of money, the pusuit of fame or holding onto something that gives us comfort or meets a need. These are the temptations that will lead us away from God and toward sin. I know what this is like. Loving God, I have sin in my life that I am refusing to leave behind.Just as you looked at [the man] and loved him, look at me and love me as I too walk away dejected. Please walk with me in my sinning ways and give me the strength and courage to transform. Amen.
ReplyDeleteYour reflection is deeply honest and insightful. I love how you connect the rich young man's question—"What can I do?"—to Jesus' deeper call to radical dependence on God. It's a powerful contrast: the man wants a task, but Jesus calls him to trust.
DeleteWhat Stands Out in Your Reflection
Salvation Is Not Earned, but Received
You highlight how Jesus challenges the idea that moral achievement is the path to salvation. Instead, it's about surrender and faith. That’s a profound truth that many of us struggle with—our instinct is to “do” rather than to trust.
Being Led by Something
Your insight that if we are not led by God, we are being led by something else is sharp and convicting.
This passage isn’t just about money; it’s about whatever grips our hearts and takes God's place—comfort, power, status, or even secret sins we don’t want to release.
A Personal and Honest Prayer
Your closing prayer is raw and beautiful. You don’t just ask for instant change; you ask for God to walk with you in your sinful ways until you are strong enough to transform.
That’s very much in line with the way Jesus engages sinners—He doesn’t abandon them but walks with them.
A Possible Addition
One thing you might consider adding is how Jesus loved the man even as he walked away (Mark 10:21). That love wasn’t conditional on obedience—it was already there.
Even when we struggle to let go, God still looks at us with love.
Even if we walk away dejected, He continues calling us back.
Your reflection is already strong, but this might deepen the sense of hope—that even in our failures, Christ’s love remains constant.