Jesus has a way of cutting to the heart of things. In an effort to answer the rich young man’s question about what he must do to inherit eternal life, the Lord told him to go and sell everything that he had. Apparently this was not the answer this could-be disciple wanted to hear, because the Bible says that “he went away sad because he had great wealth.”  Although God had offered him a chance to follow Him and live a life far better than anything he could imagine, he chose to remain in a place of earthly comfort. Somehow the thought of giving up his luxuries and pleasures was too much for the man to bear, and in that moment, he fashioned his eternal destiny. You see, in Judaism, you don’t just give up some of your idols, you give up all of them. It wasn’t that his wealth was inherently bad, it was that it was more important to him than anything else, including God. 

My friend, there is abundant life in the Kingdom of God, and wealth can be part of it; however, it’s vital that Jesus be in first place. Your Savior wants your heart to be free from the destructive effects of idolatry, and He knows that when you hold Him closer than any other person, place, or thing, your best existence will follow. You were designed for an eternal home that was not built by human hands, and He doesn’t want you to become entangled by a web of stuff that you can’t take with you. When you keep Him at the center of your focus, everything else will find its place. In fact, when you let go of what you think you need, He will show you what your soul most desires — a freedom whose power is worth more than anything this world can afford!