A wealthy young man once went to Jesus with a very important question. He wished to know what he should do to secure eternal life. Jesus called his attention to the Ten Commandments. The young man answered promptly that he had strictly observed these rules all his life, and he questioned, "What lack I yet?" Then Jesus, with his wonderful ability to discern the needs of those who came to him for help, answered the young man by saying, "Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow me."
Had the young man spiritually understood the significance of this course of action he would thereby have freed himself from the beliefs which claimed to hold him in bondage. That he did not so understand is evident, for the narrative continues, "He went away sorrowful: for he had great possessions." The material possessions he counted as his own. Deluded by the testimony of the physical senses, he looked to matter as a power to protect him and to establish him in security. Accepting that falsity, he turned away from God, the only power, the only Life, intelligence, and security.
Had the young man understood that the belief in the power of material possessions was the idolatry from which he needed to be set free; had he perceived that by turning from falsity to Truth he would have inherited "treasure in heaven"; had he but understood the spiritual facts, how gladly he would have relinquished the false sense of life and substance in matter! Instead, "he went away sorrowful." Probably he interpreted Truth's demands as meaning that he would be obliged to take on a sense of poverty and humiliation.
