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Mark 10:17-31
"Earn all you can, save all you can, donate all you can." – John Wesley
(Mark 10:17-27)
As Jesus continues His ministry, a wealthy Jew approaches Him, sincere and seemingly eager to learn. He asks the vital question: “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Though well-intentioned, he still sees salvation as something to be earned through works. When he calls Jesus “Good Teacher,” Jesus challenges him, directing the focus to God alone as truly good, subtly inviting him to reconsider the foundation of his understanding.
Jesus then cites five commandments related to human relationships. The man confidently claims to have kept them since his youth. But Jesus, knowing his heart, raises the bar: “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21)
This wasn’t a demand of salvation by works. Instead, Jesus exposed what held the man’s heart, his wealth. His failure wasn’t in his riches, but in his unwillingness to let go and love his neighbor with true sacrifice. The Law was meant to reveal his inadequacy and his need for grace, but instead, he walks away sad, unable to surrender his possessions. Jesus never ties salvation to material sacrifice. We are saved by grace through faith alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). However, true faith transforms our hearts, and generosity is a visible fruit. That raises an uncomfortable but necessary question: Are we using our financial and material resources for God’s glory?
You don’t need to be rich for this message to challenge you. The issue isn’t wealth but attachment. Jesus warns, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10:23). Why? Because wealth can easily shift our trust and focus on the material, hindering surrender to God. Many pursue possessions throughout their lives, and when they finally have them, they find it hard to release them, even for the sake of the Kingdom.
But this is not just a “rich people’s problem.” Many who aren’t wealthy also live with a materialistic mindset, believing their security lies in what they own rather than in who God is. Whether rich or not, we all struggle with this spiritual truth: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35). Jesus gave everything; He gave Himself. He came not to be served, but to serve and give His life (Mark 10:45). If we claim to follow Him, why do we hesitate to provide? Why does it bother us so much?
Perhaps it’s because we’re still far from understanding what God’s will truly is, and from fully surrendering to it. So let today be a turning point. Come before God in honesty and ask: “Lord, am I living with a giver’s heart? Have I truly understood and obeyed the call to generosity?”
Let your faith lead you to action, not because giving saves, but because a heart saved by God is always one that offers.
The Most Rev Miguel Uchoa
Primate of the Anglican Church in Brazil
