How many of us have read the story about the rich young ruler and were excited at this question? Reading forward in the hope of getting “the answer”, and only to wonder- what do I do with that answer? In the Gospel of Mark, his question uses “inherit “but in other gospels, we see the word get, obtain and do. In all cases, the man is questioning what he must outwardly do to receive the gift of eternal life. As he views it, he must “earn” eternal life.
This brought me back to when my mom passed away leaving my sister and me without parents as young adults. My dad had died 7 years earlier, so it was then that we “inherited” my parents’ estate. Neither my sister nor I did anything to “earn” this. It was “who” we were to our parents and their choice to leave their “all that they had” as a provision for us.
Jesus’ response clears up the idea of earning. He states all the areas the young man has brilliantly succeeded. He had checked ALL the boxes, almost. It wasn’t about box checking though. Jesus then went straight to the heart of the matter. What was in his heart that was not allowing complete surrender? Jesus graciously shared that it is not about works but giving up one thing and following Him.
Choosing to abstain from something unimportant to us is quite easy. I remember as a kid wanting to give up lima beans for lent and thinking I was obedient. Yes, immaturity was a part of that but so was my “me first” flesh. The heart posture is not necessarily about abstaining or the “one thing”. What or who do you put before following Jesus? It could be more than “one thing” so we must not focus on the number He asked the young man to give up.
The man was “disheartened” because Jesus had nailed it. There was no earning that could be done to inherit eternal life. A fully surrendered heart to follow Him is what was being asked. It isn’t our works that are the provision for the inheritance, it is “who” we are inside as well. God knows our hearts and for each of us, it will be a different heart request.
It’s interesting to think of the word inheritance. It is always connected tot the loss of a loved one. Someone had to die for us to receive the inheritance. We simply receive it. Whatever you receive as an earthly inheritance, at best it could last your lifetime. It doesn’t compare to the inheritance offered through the gift of eternal life. Jesus had to die for us to receive this. We must surrender and place Him first in our lives. The treasure is ours to receive.
Tammy De Armas
EFCC Member