Young professionals, mostly in our current generation, have this mentality to retire at a young age. They don’t want to follow their parents who usually retire at the ages of 60-70 years old before they could enjoy their time and hard-earned savings with an old aging body. These young people want to enjoy life at its fullest when they are still young and where they could do and make a lot of significant projects or go and visit different places around the globe.
Nonetheless, we have a similar example of a young professional shown in the Bible who wanted to retire and be secured, not only in the present time, but in the age to come. He has already achieved the wealth that he thinks could make him live while he is still alive but he is looking ahead in eternity which he has the mindset and passion incomparable to most of the young people. Yet, he was disappointed in his pursuit. What he’s pursuing was not an easy task. Let’s take a look at Mark 10:17-22:
As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “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: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
This rich young man did all the things he knew in order to be good and had been sincere in his good lifestyle. But when the offer of entering the kingdom comes with a price of giving up his wealth, this made him retreat in his pursuit of eternal life.
“Jesus showed genuine love for this man. Love is able to give tough advice; it doesn’t hedge around the truth. Christ love us enough to die for us, and He also loves us enough to talk straight to us. If His love is superficial, He would give us only His approval; but because His love is complete, He gives us life-changing challenges” (Life Application Bible)
If Jesus asked you, “What does your money mean to you? Could you give them up? How about your house? Your car? Your much-awaited promotion? Your gadgets? Your level of income?” Your reaction may show your attitude toward money—whether it is a tool or your master. Idolatry of something breeds in. There was something (for him it happened to be money) that he was unwilling to give up for the kingdom. For others, the idolatry might be very different than money, but it is still idolatry and it is keeping them from the kingdom.
The rich young man came to Jesus pretending that he was being good all of his life, but his desire for money hinders him totally in coming to the true wealth. He was totally disappointed on Jesus’ response.
A Personal Project: What are the things you need to give up today in order to make God first in your life? In His love for you, would you accept Jesus’ life-changing challenges? Think and pray about it.
A Personal Project 
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