Window Pane

Mark 10: ¹⁷ Now as He was going out on the road, one came running, knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

¹⁸ So Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. ¹⁹ You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’”

²⁰ And he answered and said to Him, “Teacher, all these things I have kept from my youth.”

²¹ Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow Me.”

²² But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

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 “Why did you do that?” a person inquired of me as they were trying to get to the bottom of my untruth. My lie was falling apart and I said something else that could not support the lie I had just told. They could see through my lies.

• People have seen right through my lies.
• People have looked at my face and knew I was not telling the truth.
• People have listened to a story I have said and quickly deciphered I was not telling the truth.

JESUS spoke to the rich man who seemed to be an achiever. The rich man’s words “Do” and “Inherit” shows he thought he could earn GOD’s approval. BUT JESUS saw right through HIM and told the rich man of only one fatal flaw, namely he was greedy.

• JESUS sees my heart and forgives my sin.
• JESUS sees my plans and alters them to bless me and others.
• JESUS sees my deepest desires and saves me anyway.

At one point I thought this story was only about greed, but it is much deeper than that. Pride, bitterness, hatred, lust, and envy are just some sins JESUS could have substituted in this message. If a murderer approached HIM, JESUS would have changed the action.

HE sees me desperately trying to achieve what HE has already done. JESUS has already forgiven me, already healed me and has already restored my soul back to HIM. HIS desire is that I open my eyes to HIS blessings daily because HE did it while seeing right through me.

• Are you trying to achieve GOD’s free gift of grace?
• Do you think you are in control of GOD’s love by your actions?
• Will you stop thinking your “level of good” merits you special favors from GOD?
• Can you start opening up your eyes to grace and spit out your bitterness?