Missing Out

“A certain ruler asked him, ‘Good teacher, 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 commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother."’

 ‘All these I have kept since I was a boy,’ he said.

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, ‘You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me’

When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was a man of great wealth. Jesus looked at him and said, ‘How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God! Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.’

Those who heard this asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’

Jesus replied, ‘What is impossible with men is possible with God.’

Peter said to him, ‘We have left all we had to follow you!’

‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said to them, ‘no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.’” (Luke 18:18-30 NIV)

What an experience it was years ago to stand on the summit of Longs Peak, 14,259 feet above sea level in Colorado.  Looking out over miles and miles of earth in all directions.  I will never forget it.  Yet, I almost never made it.  

About halfway up, in an area referred to as “the chute,” I came to a small rock wall covered with ice and just high enough that I couldn’t jump onto the ledge above.  My companions had no difficulty because they were taller, but I was afraid.  I told them I would just wait for them, but they kept encouraging me and, finally, with their help, I was able to get on top of this wall and continue the trail to the summit.  If I had given into my fear, I would have missed out on one of the most awe-inspiring sights I have ever seen.  

What would this rich man’s life and eternity have been like if he had not given into the fear of losing his wealth?  He would have experienced unimaginable joy following the footsteps of Jesus into Paradise, but he allowed his fear to get in the way.  Even sadder, is that he never realized what he had missed until it was too late.  

When I was a young Christian, I was scared by the idea of God ever wanting me to do mission work in a foreign country.  I was happy in the U.S. and planned to stay here!  But I finally acknowledged my fear to the Lord and He helped me overcome it.  Since that time, I have traveled to many parts of the world to assist in the work of the Kingdom.  I shudder to think what I would have missed out on if I had continued to allow that fear to reign in my life.  

In my daily work with students, I see a lot of fear to let go and to follow Jesus wholeheartedly. Fear of losing friends or a romantic relationship. Fear of disapproval by parents.  Fear of being asked to do what they don’t really want to do or think they cannot do.  And in giving into those fears, they miss out.  They miss out on the riches of deep, satisfying living, and, sadly, never even know it.  The ruler still had his wealth; I would have still probably had a good life.  But by overcoming my fear, I experienced something far greater, deeper, and richer.  

Today, consider what fears might be blocking you from experiencing unimaginable joy in following Jesus.  You will never know what you are missing unless you overcome your fear.  

© Jim Musser 2012