The one thing
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21, NIV)
This verse is found in the story about a rich young ruler who comes to Jesus asking Him what he needs to do to inherit eternal life. The young man has been faithful to keep the commandments, but when challenged to surrender his wealth, the ruler walks away sad because this is an action he is not prepared to take.
As a ruler, this man would have known what it means to serve a king. It requires a willingness to do what the king asks. It requires a willingness to surrender your will to his will. The rich young ruler was faithfully living for God, but his wealth had a hold on his heart. His wealth was a place of security and comfort. It was keeping him from giving his whole heart to the King of the universe. It was keeping him from being willing to do whatever the King requested.
Wealth, in and of itself, is not wrong. The issue is one of preeminence. Nothing (and no one) is meant to occupy the “throne” of our hearts except Christ. He is Lord and He is King. Anything or anyone that keeps us from following Him with our whole heart is our “god”. We are trusting in and serving it (or that person) and not Him.
As citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven, we must be ready and willing to serve our King “anywhere, anytime, and at any cost”. We do this with the understanding that our Lord intimately knows us (e.g., our desires, our purpose, our limitations, our capabilities, etc.) and that, because love is His preeminent virtue, He will always have our best interests at heart even when His requests to serve His greater interests require us to surrender our security and comfort.
So, what’s the one thing you serve above all things? Is it Jesus or is it something or someone else? If the King of the universe were to ask you to surrender something or some relationship in your life, would you do it? Who, or what, is the one thing that reigns supreme on the throne of your heart?
Jim Kubiak serves as a pastor-at-large in Bonner County. He can be reached at JimKubiak7@gmail.com.