Passages Devotional: Unused Bridges
“At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.”Mark 10:22
Many obstacles keep people from Christ. The rich young man who came to Jesus seemed so close spiritually. He was there with Jesus, talking face to face, experiencing his love and listening to his insight. Yet an obstacle stood in the way of his willingness to trust Jesus and follow him. It was his great wealth. Regrettably he turned away and the opportunity of a lifetime, no, of eternity, had passed him by.
As we enter into the spiritual journeys of others, we want to help them over obstacles that keep them from coming to Christ. But we will not always be successful; no matter how hard we try. We cannot underestimate the effect that other influences have on a person’s ultimate choice. Jesus showed the rich young man the way to move beyond the idolatry of his wealth. But once the man understood the issue, he made his own decision.
We follow Jesus’ model—lovingly showing others the way beyond, but allowing others to make their decisions.
Thought
Even the best bridge may not be crossed.
Take a Step
Memorize this thought: “Success in evangelism is simply taking the initiative to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leaving the results to God.”
Bonus
READ: Mark 10:17-31 >>
And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 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 you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” And the disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said to them again, “Children, how difficult it is to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” And they were exceedingly astonished, and said to him, “Then who can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.” Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”← Previous
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Week 4: The Mentor
