Set Your Bar Higher

Mark 10 details an exchange between Jesus and a young man. The question this young man asks Jesus is, on the surface, a very good question. But what else does it reveal? Let’s take a look at the exchange in its entirety. Mark 10:17-22 says,

“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.”

First observation. I believe this young man was honest in his pursuit of eternal life. He has heard the stories. He heard about Jesus healing people. He heard that Jesus had multiplied food in the presence of many. It is possible he had even seen some of this take place. He is thinking what everyone else is thinking, “Is this really the Messiah?” He wants a piece of the action.

Second observation. Notice what the young man asked. “What must I do?” The religious system of his day, and oftentimes ours, is built on what we can do. There is something in the human heart that believes we are in control of our destiny. We strive. We work hard. Then we work harder. Only to discover that we still lack something. This young man has built wealth for himself. We aren’t told how. It is possible he inherited it and did nothing to earn it. I think it is more likely he worked for it. He doesn’t seem to be afraid of hard work. He has built his life and wealth on hard work. He came to Jesus wondering what he must do to inherit eternal life. I don’t think working hard is the issue here.

Third observation. He is devout. Clearly this young man was raised in a home that was committed to the religious system. He is doing everything that has been asked of him. Even more, he has been doing it all his life. According to the religious system, it seems as if he has done all he can to “inherit eternal life.”

Then why does the passage end the way it does?

We have here a young man with an honest pursuit for eternal life, a willingness to do hard work, and dedication and discipline to the Law. If these observations are accurate then it seems this young man would have been ready and willing to respond in the positive no matter the response Jesus gave him. So the question I find myself asking is, “Why does the young man leave disheartened? Why is he filled with sorrow?”

His bar was set too low. In other words, he was seeking the least possible, not the most possible.

Let me explain by comparing two people asking a similar question. The first person asks, “What is the least I can do and still be a Christian?” This person wants what Jesus has to offer. Just like the rich young man, this person comes to Jesus and asks, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Yet, the bar has already been set too low in his or her mind. To them the Christian life is simply about “getting in.” Sadly, there are way too many “Christians” walking around today living like this. They are only concerned about securing their eternal destiny while continuing to live their life how they want. I want you to know this isn’t an authentic form discipleship. It in’t really discipleship at all.

The second person asks the question a different way. This person has set their bar much higher when they ask, “What’s next?” They take to heart the words of Jesus in John 10:10 when He says, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” This person is asking a very similar question as the first, but their bar is set way higher. They have already experienced the justifying grace that saves them from their sin and brings them into right relationship with Jesus. But they also see the endless possibilities that are before them. They see that they can now live a holy life completely devoted to Jesus. It may require some sacrifice. In fact, it will. It might even require all that they own. But they trust the person asking them for more. They aren’t turned away by Jesus asking them for more. It is a joy and a privilege to give more of what they have to know Jesus more fully.

I hope by now you can see below the surface of the man’s question in Mark 10. He may have asked the right question but he had his bar set way too low. He walked away from Jesus with a sorry and sad heart. The way I see it, this young man came asking about eternal life but when he discovers what it really requires of him, he walks away from Jesus altogether. That can happen when you set your bar too low.

For too long I was just like this rich young man. I often came to Jesus with this same question. “Jesus, there must be more to this life. What do I need to do?” But His response would turn me away. For too long I walked away from these interactions sorrowful and disheartened. For too long I wasn’t really willing to respond in the positive to His invitation. For too long I wasn’t willing to sell it all, give to the poor, and follow him. I was comfortable with what I had. I wasn’t willing to surrender my whole life to Him.

If you find yourself in a similar spot, hear this. Jesus loves you right where you are at. But He loves you too much to leave you there. You may not be ready to surrender it all. I’m not going to tell you that is okay. Because, frankly, it isn’t. You either give it all to Jesus, or you give none of it. But I do want you to know that, thankfully, we have a patient God. He is willing to wait for you. He waited for me. But the clock is ticking.

We don’t hear of the rich young man again in Scripture. Maybe he continued living the rest of his life wondering what he must do to inherit eternal life. It is very likely he walked further and further away from Jesus. But what if he was a part of the first crowd to hear the gospel message from Peter on the day of Pentecost? What if he was one of the 3000 who was added to their number that day. And what if he was one of the many in Acts 2:44-45 when it says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.” It is all a big “what if.”

We don’t know his outcome. But we can know yours. So what will it be? Are you going to continue to set your bar too low and miss out on Jesus altogether? Or will you set it higher and higher, give your whole self to Jesus, and live life to the full? What will it be?

Are you willing?