We read in the Bible about a man—apparently a good man—who came to inquire of Christ Jesus how to obtain eternal life. He had done the right things, kept the Commandments, from the time he was young. But when the Master told him to sell his possessions, which were substantial, and give the money to the poor, he went away sad. That perhaps was not something he thought he could do. Jesus then said to his disciples, "Children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom of God!"Mark 10:24.
Our need is not to figure out how to make more
money. It is to become humble enough to relinquish
material sense and feel the constant love and boundless good that our heavenly Father is pouring forth.
Jesus' instruction to the rich man seems to be just as difficult to accept today as it was in Biblical times. When I view long lines of people waiting to buy lottery tickets or when I read of million-dollar scams or hear of individuals cheating on medical insurance, I cannot help noting what a tenacious hold the desire for money has on world thought. Since Jesus' teachings were always intended to heal and to guide spiritually, his instruction to the rich man must be of grave importance.
