Matthew 19:18-22: a reflection

18He said to him, “Which ones?” Jesus said, “‘You shall not murder.’ ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ‘You shall not steal.’ ‘You shall not offer false testimony.’ 19‘Honor your father and your mother.’ And, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” 20The young man said to him, “All these things I have observed from my youth. What do I still lack?” 21Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions.

When the rich young man asks Jesus what he still lacks, having kept the commandments from his youth, Jesus puts his finger on the one thing that held him back: If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. The one thing he could not give up was his wealth; his possessions had such a grip on him that he chose them over following Christ, and went away sad. What held him back was the grip of his possessions.

Notice what held the young man back: the grip of his possessions. He had kept the commandments, sought Jesus out, asked earnestly what he lacked; he was not far from the kingdom. But when it came to his possessions, their hold on him proved stronger than his desire to follow Christ. He could not let them go, and so he went away sad, choosing his wealth over the treasure Christ offered. The one thing that gripped him, his possessions, was the very thing that kept him from wholehearted following. His wealth held him where Christ was calling him to let go.

That is worth taking to heart, for we too may have some one thing whose grip holds us back from following Christ wholeheartedly. There can be some possession, some attachment, some thing we cannot bring ourselves to let go of, that grips us and holds us back from wholehearted following, as the young man's wealth held him. Christ may put his finger on that one thing, calling us to let it go and follow; and the question is whether we will, or go away sad, clinging to it. Do not let the grip of some possession or attachment hold you back from following Christ wholeheartedly, going away sad rather than letting it go. Ask what one thing grips you and holds you back from wholehearted following, and be willing to let it go for Christ, rather than clinging to it as the rich young man clung to his possessions and went away sad; for the grip of what we will not release can keep us from following Christ, and he calls us to hold everything loosely enough to follow him.

Lord Jesus, when the rich young man asks you what he still lacks, having kept the commandments from his youth, you put your finger on the one thing that held him back: if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have, and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he was one who had great possessions. The one thing he could not give up was his wealth; his possessions had such a grip on him that he chose them over following you. Show me what held the young man back: the grip of his possessions. He had kept the commandments, sought you out, asked earnestly what he lacked; he was not far from the kingdom. But when it came to his possessions, their hold on him proved stronger than his desire to follow you. He could not let them go, and so he went away sad. The one thing that gripped him was the very thing that kept him from wholehearted following. Take that to my heart, for I too may have some one thing whose grip holds me back from following you wholeheartedly. There can be some possession, some attachment, some thing I cannot bring myself to let go of, that grips me and holds me back, as the young man's wealth held him. You may put your finger on that one thing, calling me to let it go and follow. Keep me from letting the grip of some possession or attachment hold me back from following you wholeheartedly, going away sad rather than letting it go. Help me ask what one thing grips me and holds me back, Lord, and be willing to let it go for you.