Matthew 19:16
And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?

Isn’t this so much the attitude of seeking hearts today? They think it must be possible to do something in order to gain something for themselves. That’s the way the world works. A person gives in order to get. We go to work, so they pay us. We do a favor so we can ask for something in return. We make a trade, do a deal, get the sale. But eternal life is not a commodity to be bought and sold. It’s not something we can earn by doing good things, hoping for something good in return. But at the same time, it’s not something so unreachable.

This man, by his own testimony, had done good things. He’d claimed to have kept the commandments all his young life. He was rich, so in the world’s view, he had it made. There was nothing else he needed in life except to gain this one thing—eternal life. He had many possessions, but once he died, they would be gone. He’d done good things, but was that enough? He was dismayed to find that it was not. Jesus asked him one thing more—to line heaven’s coffers by selling what he had and truly doing good and then following Jesus all of his life.

The truth is, the things we do may be good things, but nothing but Jesus gives us eternal life. We may have lots of things, but if we don’t have Jesus, we really have nothing at all. We may pursue immortality as if it were some kind of trophy to attain, some goal to reach, another possession to have, but really it is just a gift given out of God’s heart of love to those who love Him, too. It is His goodness and mercy that grants it. It was His sacrifice that enabled it. And it is His faithfulness that extends it to all who would accept it.

Let’s not think so much about what we do and what we can have as much as what God would have us do and what we can give to others. Let us not allow the pursuit of gaining things for ourselves to cause us to overlook opportunities to serve and be used. It is not eternal life that is the great prize to be gained, but it is Christ Himself. And our lives are not about attaining more for ourselves, but being a blessing to others. Let us not look to Christ only for what He can do for us, but let us go before Him asking what we can do for Him.