Surrender

And 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?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10:17–22
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Surrender
The world, the devil, and our own sinful flesh like to convince us that we have what it takes to make it to heaven. Our accomplishments in business and life show us we can do anything we set our minds to. Our own personal piety tells us we are worthy of heaven through our own merit.  But when a rich young man approaches Jesus, asking how to inherit eternal life, all those notions should disappear. Despite his obedience to the commandments, Jesus tells him to sell all he has, give to the poor, and follow Him. The man leaves sorrowful, for he has great wealth. Reflect for a moment on your attachments and what holds you back from fully following Christ. Jesus' call to the young man wasn't just about money but about surrendering whatever we place above God in our hearts. When this happens, our eyes are opened, and we recognize our sinful nature and our need for Christ's redeeming grace. We confess that our salvation is through faith in Jesus alone, not by our works or possessions. Let us pray for the strength to surrender our idols, trusting that in Christ, we find true riches. May we heed His call, knowing that He provides all we need for this life and the next.