A Series by Vance Havner
The Rich, Young Ruler
Good
Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?
Matthew 19:16
This
promising youth did no real business with Jesus, because he did not really mean
business. For all his manners and morals and money, he would not pay the price
of real discipleship. Some very nice people would like to have eternal life as
a good investment, but Jesus is not handing out salvation in return for another
“good thing” on our self-righteous record of commandments already kept. He
wanted to blast this young ruler into a real venture of daring faith that would
cut him loose from his security, but the prospective disciple would not move
from his moorings. It turned out that, after all, he loved his money more than
his soul.
It
takes a radical break to turn a man from earth’s trash to heaven’s treasure.
Our Lord came immediately to the issue and would have this young man cut the
knot instead of gradually untying it. He would have him bring the matter to a
quick climax and be done with it.
For
all his good points, this fine prospect missed his blessing while poorer
specimens like Bartimaeus, Zacchaeus, the Samaritan woman, got theirs. Jesus
loved him, but lost him because the questioner never meant business, though no
man ever seemed to mean business more than he.
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