Possessed by Possessions

Some people worship money. They worship their possessions, the car they drive, and the house where they live. Other people worship themselves. It’s all about the way they look.

Worship, in this sense, is being preoccupied with something or someone that you think about more than God Himself. And an idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives.

The Bible tells a story of the rich young ruler who came to Jesus with a question. He said, “Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” (Matthew 19:16 NKJV). He was young, probably in his thirties, and he would have been very influential.

It wouldn’t necessarily surprise us if Jesus had said, “Come on in, son. You’re one of the team! Now let’s go!”

But instead, Jesus told him, “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (verse 17 NKJV).

The fact is that no one can keep the commandments. God gives us the commandments to drive us to Jesus and show us that we sin and fall short of His glory. There is only one individual who ever walked this Earth and kept all the commandments, and that was Jesus Christ.

However, this young man said, “All these things I have kept from my youth. What do I still lack?” (verse 20 NKJV).

Then Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me” (verse 21 NKJV).

The Bible says this man went away sad because he had many possessions. Interestingly, Jesus said this to only one man in the Bible, and that was because the idols in the young ruler’s heart were his things. And idols keep us from God.