The ruler had everything going for him. He was young, wealthy, and he was probably handsome, too. But somewhere deep inside, he must have felt something was missing. A nagging doubt about his eternity motivated this man to find Jesus. The question tumbled from his lips:

Jesus’ reference to obeying the Ten Commandments seemed to be a relief to the young man. He was confident he had upheld his end of the bargain. But Jesus’ next statement stunned him into silence:

Definitely not what the young ruler wanted to hear. His wealth gave him a comfortable life, power, and prestige. It was both his security and his identity – the most important things in his life. What Jesus was asking him to do was unthinkable. The man was deeply disappointed, but he willingly turned his back and walked away.

A thought-provoking story. One that makes me stop and consider what I’m clinging to.

Throughout history, it’s been a problem. I see Moses warning the children of Israel of this very thing before they even entered the Promised Land:

Unfortunately, we know the end of the story – the Israelites forgot the Lord because they had everything they needed. Instead of thanking the Lord, the Israelites began relying on themselves. The Life Application Study Bible puts it this way:

“Prosperity, more than poverty, can dull our spiritual vision because it tends to make us self-sufficient and eager to acquire still more of everything – except God.” (p. 316)

A sad commentary.

Time to do some soul-searching and get back to seeking God’s presence instead of His presents. And with Christmas only days away, it’s the perfect time to do so!