Follow Jesus

 

What is the most valuable thing in your life? Is it a signed poster of Sidney Crosby? Is it a picture your grandmother painted for you? Is it your baseball glove or your diary? Maybe it’s your group of friends?

I ask you that because in our Gospel today (Mark 10:17-22), the man who wanted eternal life asked Jesus what he must do. Jesus told him to give up what was most valuable to him and then to follow him. So, if you approached Jesus and asked him what you had to do to have eternal life, would you do what he says?

That’s a hard choice, but people give up many other things to follow a dream. Our daughter gave up a lot of time and social activities to play softball. She even won a College World Series at UCLA. She gave up softball as a senior to focus on studies because she wanted become a lawyer.

Believe me, I have already given up many things to follow Jesus as a pastor. Every day your parents give up many things to bring you to Jesus. They give up many things to bring you to church on Sunday. It would be easy for them to sleep in, to stay home and watch TV, but they do not.

 And do you know why? Because when you say yes to Jesus, you must say no to many other things that may seem important or valuable. When Jesus said yes to His Father, he said yes to saving you and me, he said no to everything else even if everyone said those other things were important.

Today, make a list of all your friendships and the things you have and do and ask yourself if they are more important than following Jesus. With that, let us pray.

Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their fathers and mothers the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.