A young man once came running to Jesus, breathless with sincerity, and asked what so many of us quietly wonder: “Teacher, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16).
Jesus first points him to the commandments, and the man, with honest eyes, says he has kept them. Then comes the moment that pierces: “One thing thou lackest: if thou wouldest be perfect, go, sell that which thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me” (Matthew 19:21).
That “one more thing.”
It always feels too much. For the rich young man, it was his wealth, the security that held his heart. For us, it may not be coins in a purse but our pride, our comfort, our control, that one hidden place we guard from God.
And so the man walked away sorrowful, because he loved his wealth, and he knew he could not let it go.
Jesus turns to His disciples and says words that echo through the centuries: “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
That is the heart of Christianity. Jesus never asks us for what we can do in our own strength. He asks us for what we cannot. He asks for the surrender of the thing we cling to most, knowing that on our own, our fingers will never let it go. But He does not leave us staring at the impossible. He offers His hand.
To be a Christian is to say yes to that one more thing, not because we trust ourselves, but because we trust Him. We say yes trembling, whispering, “Lord, I cannot, but You can. Take my hand. Lead me.”
And when we do, the impossible becomes possible. The heart once bound becomes free. The weight once crushing becomes light. That is the miracle of grace: not our strength stretched to the breaking point, but His life carrying us where we could never walk alone.
The rich young man went away sad, but the invitation still stands for you and me. Christ is still saying, “Come, follow Me.” And the Father is still able to do in us what we never could do in ourselves.
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