“Store up your treasure in heaven.” That’s what my grandma used to say all the time. It was her way of trying to take my focus off of money and onto God. The rich young ruler struggled with the same thing. He did the right thing but his wealth was a stumbling block to his faith. Money can be both good and bad depending on how you approach it. If your priorities are right then you don’t have to worry about.
Mark 10:21
Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.
Pick Up Your Cross
There are things that keep us from picking up our cross. Jesus told the rich man to sell everything and give to the poor. To this man, his wealth was his greatest stumbling block to following Christ. He walked away dejected because he wanted to keep his idolatry of money and the pride it gave him and still get into heaven. Money is not a stumbling block for everyone but it is for a lot of people, and we need to take note. Jesus is not asking all of us to sell what we have; he is asking us to have no other gods before him.
Count It All As Loss
Count it all as loss.Those were Paul’s words. He considered everything lost for Christ. Jesus wants us to live the same way. We do this so we can live unencumbered by the things of this world and press on towards for more of what Jesus has for us. When we sacrifice here on earth, we are storing up treasures in heaven. What do we need to count as lost in our lives? How can we live less attached to possessions and money and more focused on Christ?