“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor…and come, follow me.’ He went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.”
— Mark 10:21-22 ESV
There’s a funny thing about humans. They can have a lap full of blessings and still worry about what they might have to give up.
I was sitting on the porch this morning, keeping an eye on my human, who was doing his usual routine: Bible in one hand, coffee in the other. He was reading about a rich young man who asked Jesus, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?”
This guy had money, influence, and a respectable life. He’d kept the commandments since he was young. But Jesus saw what was holding his heart.
Jesus told him to sell what he had, give to the poor, and follow Him. The man walked away sorrowful because his possessions had a stronger grip on him than he had on them.
That got my attention. I’ve never met a dog who turned down a free meal because he was too attached to his food bowl. But I’ve watched my human hold tightly to things he claimed he was willing to surrender.
Here’s what I’m learning from the porch: Greatness requires open hands, not just good intentions.
It’s easy to say we love Jesus, talk about serving others, and claim we put God first. But when Jesus asks us to release something, our intentions get tested.
Maybe it’s money, pride, a grudge, control, comfort, or the need to have things our way. We can’t follow Jesus wholeheartedly while keeping parts of our lives off-limits to Him.
Notice this: Jesus looked at the man and loved him. He wasn’t trying to make him miserable. He was calling him to something greater. But the man’s hands were too full of what he owned to receive what Jesus offered.
Sometimes what we refuse to surrender keeps us from following Jesus more closely.
Now, I’m a dog. Give me a sunny porch, a scratch behind the ears, and a little kindness, and I’m content. But there’s a difference between enjoying a blessing and being owned by it.
So here’s the question I’m chewing on while my human finishes his coffee: What am I holding so tightly that I can’t fully obey Jesus?
Following Jesus isn’t about earning salvation by giving everything away. It’s about trusting the One who gave everything for us. We’re saved by grace, and that grace changes what we hold loosely and what we give freely.
Maybe the next step is simple.
Open your hands.
Release what Jesus asks you to surrender.
Make room for His will, His work, and His people.
Good intentions may sound nice, but surrendered lives tell a different story.
Ask Jesus to show you what you’re holding too tightly. Then take one practical step of obedience, trusting Him more than whatever you’re asked to release.
Keep the Faith… Carpe Diem
