Young children know that to be in the running to get what they want from Santa at Christmas, a “yes” response is expected to Santa’s question: ‘Have you been good?’ Instinctively, children know how to play the ‘give-me game’ to get what they want.

Friends, how wrong it is for grown-ups to give children the impression that they can ‘be’ good when in truth they ‘are’ not good… as no human being ‘is’ good!

Mark recorded in his Gospel account an incident involving a rich man–He said, “As Jesus was starting out on His way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to Him, knelt down, and asked, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call Me good?’ Jesus asked. ‘Only God is truly good’” (Mk. 10:17-18).

Jesus saw the young man’s sincere desire for a better life than the things of the world could bring. He saw the man’s dedication to Mosaic Law-keeping to make him ‘good enough’ in the eyes of God. The greeting “Good Teacher” was a key remark for Jesus to use to question the young man, wanting to open his eyes as to who Jesus was. Jesus asked, “Why do you call Me good?” “Only God is good.”

Jesus’ response must have seemed strange to the rich man, but I believe that Jesus was seeking to awaken the spiritual consciousness of the man into recognising that Jesus was God. It was at this point that Jesus said, “But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother’” (v. 19).

It is interesting that Jesus reminded the young man only of the ‘second’ table of the Mosaic Law that had to do with a man’s relationship with his fellow man… Commandments 5-10 (Ex. 20:12-17). Jesus did not mention any of the Commandments of the ‘first’ table of the Law that deals with man’s relationship with God. The young man acknowledged that he had kept all of these from his youth up; that his relationship with his fellow man was OK. However, Jesus wanted the man to see that his relationship with God was not OK.

The man addressed Jesus with respect and reverence… “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Eternal life is not a quantity of life only, but a quality of life. Perhaps the young man saw this quality of life in Jesus as Jesus interacted with people of every rank and station of Jewish society… seeing the ‘unusual’ brand of love that exuded from Him. The man saw in Jesus something that his riches, youth and morality had not brought him. A quality of life that was beyond the normal.

There are many people like that today whose relationship with their fellow man is ‘hunky-dory.’ They see themselves as good, moral people… sometimes so good and moral, they think that they have no need of God. The rich man thought he was good and moral, but still, something was lacking… so, he asked Jesus, “What else must I do?” (Mat. 19:20). “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” Jesus told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me.” “At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (Mk. 10: 21-22).

The young man’s riches were positioned at the centre of his life—they had not brought the contentment that his spirit had yearned for. Jesus was not interested in the young man giving up his possessions. He wanted him to understand that it was the positioning of his possessions in his life that prevented God from occupying the place of greatest honour that is reserved only for God. Our Heavenly Father is not satisfied in being positioned at the periphery of our lives.  He must be at the centre!

When Jesus said, “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily, and follow Me” (Lk. 9:23) He means that we must deny ourselves of whatever is standing in the way of a right relationship with Him. With some it is possessions. With others it is popularity, or a quest for power, or pride!

Friends, the first Commandment in the ‘first table’ of the Mosaic Law is: “You must not have any other God but Me” (Ex. 20:3). The man’s riches were his God. It was his love for perishable ‘things’ that kept him from experiencing the imperishable love of God… the very thing that his spirit had longed for. We are reminded of the words of Jesus at Caesarea where He said, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mk. 8:36-37 KJV).

This incident has a sad ending–the rich young man chose to exchange his soul for his riches… “At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (10:22). However, this incident does not have to spell a sad ending for you–it may be a timely reminder to make sure that God indeed is positioned at the centre of your life… reigning and ruling as the unrivalled King of your mind and heart.

Who or what is governing your life?

Friends, the Kingdom of God cannot be attained by human effort. We cannot save ourselves. Jesus said, “Follow Me.” The rest is incidental. Get rid of whatever it is that is keeping you from following Him. With God’s help, you can live a righteous life. Whatever you deny yourself to follow Christ, He will give to you in return much more pleasure, joy, and satisfaction (Mk. 10:29-30). No, ‘I’ am not a good person. However, Jesus, the Person in whom I believe, is Good! And, that is good enough for me!

Bill