As I contemplated what I would write today, the story that came to mind was that of the “rich young man” from Matthew 19:16-22.
16Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”
17″Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”
18″Which ones?” the man inquired. Jesus replied, ” ‘Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, 19honor your father and mother,’ and ‘love your neighbor as yourself.'”
20″All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Now, I’m sure many have used this story to illustrate a love of money perhaps or an unwillingness to “bear Jesus’s cross” or an unwillngness to sacrifice, but for me, it’s simply a way to show how the Lord sometimes places a mirror before us in order for us to see more clearly our hearts.
Not everyone is interested in looking inside the heart. I find the state of the heart fascinating and I am often asking the Lord to reveal my heart … to refine my heart with the “refiner’s fire.” But there are times when the true state of my heart remains hidden; my true motivations clouded. These are times, the Lord puts up the mirror and says, “Look! this is the real reason behind your actions.”
The rich young man had “done everything” outwardly to “get” eternal life. But all that doing was without the heart. I believe he expected a real “atta boy” from the Lord, but instead he was challenged further. It was here that his heart was revealed.
Meditations from Zion 