To be saved, a person needs to understand the need for a Savior. Jesus exposes this man’s need for a Savior by showing him that his money and possessions were his idols, and he was breaking the commandments. The man had a difficult time understanding his spiritual need for Christ due to his ability to provide for all his physical needs and wants.

The point of this passage isn’t that Christians should give away everything they own, but rather recognize that all our possessions are rubbish and worthless compared to the spiritual gift God offers through Christ. While we don’t have to sell all our possessions to follow Christ, we should be willing to give up whatever God asks of us. As Christians, we should not love anything on earth more than we love God. Sometimes the Lord will ask us to give up things so that our hearts will be completely His. Everything we have comes from God, and we are just stewards of it. If the rich young man had understood this, he would have found it much easier to follow Christ.

• What are some things in your life that would be hard to give up if Jesus were to ask you?
• Why is it so hard to trust God and give Him complete control of our life and possessions?