A wealthy, influential young man comes to Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel (Mt. 19:20-24), and asks:“What good deed must I do to have eternal life?”

“Keep the Commandments,” Jesus replied.

“This I have done, but something seems to be missing. There is this empty space in my life and I don’t know what to fill it with. Can you help me? Can you tell me what I need?” the man asked.

Jesus told him: “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” In other words, Jesus said: “Don’t let the things you own you.”

But the young man could not deal with this advice. Matthew tells us that when he heard this, “He went away sorrowful; for he had great possessions.”

Then Jesus instructed his disciples, “It is easier to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”

“Give up the things that own you,” said Jesus, “and concentrate instead on the satisfactions that are genuine and last forever.”

In another place, Jesus said, “Don’t be so uptight about what to wear or what to eat. Your heavenly Father knows what you need. Seek first God’s rule and God’s justice and everything else will fall into place” (Mt. 6:31-33).

What Jesus was teaching is significant for us today. It’s too easy to get lost in the pursuit of what we think we want and in the process, forget who we really are and what really counts.

Let us live by his encouragement to put first things first. Open our eyes to see the presence of God in life! Welcome the friendship of the living Christ who is always with us! Get close to those who support what we value and are looking for what really matters in life. Decide today what our priorities are. Know what is important, what makes life special, beautiful and worth living. Enter by faith, into a full partnership with God!

Jesus makes himself present wherever life is lived, to share it, to enliven and enrich it, to reduce the pain and deepen the joy! While on his earthly mission, he never forgot who he was, to whom he belonged or where his life was going. He kept his eye on the goal, on his calling, on his focused sense of purpose.

And he desires the same for each of us—his followers today!

Please join me this Sabbath as we again share the Message with an online service!

Love from my family to yours,

Duff