One thing you lack - All The Good Seed Daily Devotionals for 2026

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. But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
Mark 10: 21.22.

One thing you lack
Didn't that young man, who came to see Jesus, have all that was needed to be happy - social standing, religious background, material wealth? Moreover, he led an exemplary life: he had respected God's law from his youth, and he sincerely sought eternal life.

The Bible states: "Jesus loved him" - love that could enable him to discover what hindered him. "One thing you lack. Come, follow me!" This also applies to us. Jesus wishes to show us what stops us from following Him, because He loves us. In the young man's case, his riches were the obstacle between the Lord and him.

The media, films, and advertising all convey the same message: to be happy one needs money - a strong concept in our thinking today. Jesus overturned it. He showed that material wealth is a source of sadness, if it hinders us from following Him. This is true for knowing Him as Saviour and for the duration of our Christian pathway. Let us truly answer: what would we miss most following the Lord, and what occupies us too much in our present life?

It is a question not of earning eternal life, as the young man thought, but of following Jesus by faith. We must cut the bonds we have with this world and which prevent us from consecrating our lives to our Master. Yet it is well worth the trouble!

Today‘s reading: 2 Kings 19: 1 - 13 · 1 John 5: 1 - 5