"You are lacking in one thing.
Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor
and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me."
These possessions don't become a problem until they keep this man bound and unable to follow Jesus. The man is able to observe the law in these conditions under which he still has consolations at his disposal. When he is still the one in control he can make some progress. But he does not have the freedom he needs to follow Jesus.
The call to follow Jesus often means that "for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials". We need Jesus to give us the freedom that comes when we long for our inheritance, a prize that is "imperishable, defiled, and unfading" more than we need the comforts of this life.
When we really stop to consider how tethered to normak life we are it may seem hopeless. We're not breaking any big commandments but neither are we the most dynamic of disciples in the world.
"For men it is impossible, but not for God.
All things are possible for God."
Jesus isn't calling most of us to actually give away all that we have. But he wants us to be willing to step outside of our comfort zones. He gives us small opportunities to choose him over our own comfort and building his Kingdom instead of building our own.
Our pride wants to do the thing and embrace the pain. It wants to just give away everything so that it can say that it was up to the challenge. And of course, another part of us doesn't want that. But neither of these are the call of Jesus. We are not called to embrace the sadness of the loss of the goods we have so much as we are called to embrace the ever greater good of the Kingdom. This good should be the one which dictates our actions and priorities.
Although you have not seen him you love him;
even though you do not see him now yet you believe in him,
you rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,
as you attain the goal of faith, the salvation of your souls.
The enemy wants us to interpret the call of Jesus to the rich man as one that means that God doesn't really love him. If he really loved him, we believe, he'd let him keep his stuff. But no. It is precisely because of the love Jesus has for this rich man that he is willing to call him further on and higher up. So too with his call to us.
He has sent deliverance to his people;
he has ratified his covenant forever;
holy and awesome is his name.
His praise endures forever.
The secret is to discover the goodness of Jesus, who because is is God, is truly good. May we learn to long for him.
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