I have a dear friend that has always been a very successful businessman. We worked together on several projects and he was always the best of the best. But life for him was just a game; it was all about living the best life possible. I will always remember the bumper sticker he had on his Porsche Turbo … He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins.
I got to thinking about that and the Lord took me to the very familiar story about the rich young ruler. Now I have read that story many times and have resolved in my mind the intent of the message, but this time He showed me something new to think about. He asked me, Tom, where do you draw the line?
The challenge for us is not to approach our relationship with Jesus in a legalistic, performance-based manner like this young ruler. That is the world’s approach to everything. If you are not first, you have not arrived yet. As my friend would say … I don’t have enough toys yet.
All of us have things for which we have drawn the line in the sand and don’t want to compromise. Oh, maybe it is subconscious but we draw the line just the same. As Jesus did for the young man, He wants to do for us. He wants to show us what it is that is keeping us from having a deep and complete relationship with Him. For those who have never made that commitment to Him, it is barring them from eternal life. For those of us that have submitted to His Lordship it is falling short of His best for us.
There is so much more to Him than we can ever imagine. As the Texas oilman said: “If you know how rich you are … you ain’t very rich.” And we are rich beyond measure because we do not know how rich we are as God’s adopted sons and daughters; joint heirs with Jesus to all that God has given Him – everything.
Do we want our reward down here or do we want to save it for the day we see him face to face? Do we want to hoard the “gift(s) He has given us or use them in His service; how and where His Spirit leads?
In the end, “many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first” (Matt 19:30). We may be rich (gifted) and first today, but we will not be taking our wealth and position with us. I know it is old but true what Billy Graham said about it … “I’ve never seen a hearse towing a U-Haul trailer.”
What rewards we get down here are all we are going to receive. But what you do with it all today will directly affect your eternal reward. Our salvation is not by works but by grace through faith. However, our rewards are through our works.
Matt 16:27 For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.
The rich young ruler hoarded his gift (riches) and at the end of the day, whatever reward he received here on earth was all that he got.
We all need to guard well what the Lord has blessed us with and use it in His service. For me … I want to be first where it counts and that means I am going to have to erase a few lines that I have drawn in my life. How about you?