Peter said to Him, “We have left everything to follow you!” “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for Me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields—and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.” (Mark 10:28–30, NIV 1984).
My Musings – Often, our focus is on what we have left or given up. But perhaps a more telling clue to our spiritual condition is what we are still hanging onto. For just look at what preceded this passage (context matters).
“As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. ‘Good teacher,’ he asked, ‘what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ ‘Why do you call me good?’ Jesus answered. ‘No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.’ ‘Teacher,’ he declared, ‘all these I have kept since I was a boy.’ Jesus looked at him and loved him. ‘One thing you lack,’ he said. ‘Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (Mark 10:17–22, NIV 1984).
My Advice – It may not be “great wealth” that we are hanging onto. It could be anything, including “homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children [or] fields.” Careers, friendships, reputations. Whatever it might be, we must not let that “one thing [we] lack” keep us from “[receiving] a hundred times as much” or perhaps even “eternal life.”
“Indiana, let it go.” Professor Henry Jones, in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” pleading with his son to let go of the chalice and take his hand. So, he can save him. The same plea may be coming from our Heavenly Father. “Let it go. Take my hand.”
The Brew Is A Musing 