Listen

As Jesus continued down the road, a man ran up, knelt before him, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to obtain eternal life?”

Mark 10:17

Think

During my elementary school years, my family lived on the campus of a girl’s correctional institution in Virginia where we occupied the large house in the center of the campus designated for the school superintendent (my dad) and our family. As a child, I thought we were wealthy because we lived in a big house with lots of land with my father in charge of everything. In many ways, I thought we had everything we needed as a family: wealth, influence, power, and privilege.

I wonder if that was the mindset of the young, successful (at least in his mind) man questioning Jesus. That he would have a free pass into heaven. His questions made sense especially coming from someone who might not be in an intimate relationship with God. Instead, the young man’s questions are looking for a transactional response, “If I have this, will I attain that?”

As you take this journey, ask yourself: is my relationship with God transactional or transformational?

Tom Baynham

Pray

Holy God, forgive my transactional relationship with you, and surround me with the power of your transformational spirit. Amen.

Go

O people, lay up your treasures in glory.

Your treasures in this world will fade away, but the things of the Lord will last forevermore!