Now Or Later?

by Brooke Bergan
Published August 12, 2005

"Jesus looked at him and loved him." -Mark 10:21 (NIV)

Last week during devotions I read the story of the rich young ruler who questioned Jesus about eternal life. As I read, the above verse caught my attention. I began to wonder why this man asked Jesus about the way to eternal life, then refused to do as the Lord instructed him. Jesus had to have known the ruler would not obey, and yet He loved this man. Why? I get the feeling when Jesus looked at him, it was not your casual glance. Instead, it was the piercing yet gentle probe of the eyes that created the universe, the eyes that saw through a man's outer appearance into his heart. I wonder what Jesus saw? I believe He saw a man who struggled to live beneath the weight of his riches. One who yearned to be free from society's expectations - from paying bills, giving orders, and struggling to know which friends were true and which desired his money. Many would look at such a man and think him ungrateful, but let's look closer. In fact, let's do more than get close. Let's climb into his shoes long enough to compare them with ours. After all, if we find it hard to resist worldly pleasures with the average income, how much more if we could afford all the things our hearts desire? What would happen if we could suddenly afford the big screen TVs, high-cost convertibles, fancy clothes, and all the other things this world throws at us? In my case, it's hard enough to stay on task when there are people to chat with, movies to watch, music to listen to, and games to play. To the rich, these simple pleasures may have lost their allure, giving place to bigger and better things such as skydiving, flying planes, traveling the globe, and building houses. So what do we really want? Do we want this world's treasures? Or do we want treasures that last? We must decide now, for in today's society the whole world is literally ours for the taking, but if we choose it now, we'll not only lose it, we'll lose our souls in the process.

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