One Thing

When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing."  Luke 18:22

In the journey of life, we often find ourselves at a crossroads where we are asked to make decisions that can change the course of our lives.  One such moment is beautifully illustrated in the story of the rich young ruler.

This man had many great things going for him, and he presented them all to Jesus.  They were good things, great things even.  However, Jesus pointed out that there was ‘One Thing’ he was holding on to that he didn't want to let go of.

This ‘One Thing’ was perhaps something he thought he could rely on, something that made him stand out from the crowd.  It was his safety net, his comfort zone.  But Jesus asked him to let go of it.  The young ruler couldn't.  He chose to hold onto his ‘One Thing’, and in doing so, he faded into obscurity.

I was at a crossroads during my junior year (3^rd of 4 years) of university.  Despite having a full scholarship and a promising future, I felt that there was ‘One Thing' that I was holding onto which could potentially hinder my next step.  I could either hold onto this ‘One Thing’ and risk fading into obscurity like the rich young ruler, or to let it go and potentially achieve something greater.  I chose the latter and I am so glad I did.

All of us have that 'One Thing' - that comfort zone or personal attachment that might be holding you back.  I encourage you to make the difficult choice of letting go of this 'One Thing' and then seize with that same tenacity the opportunity that He is presenting to you.  You will need to hold on tight though because I can guarantee you it will be an adventure.