February 9, 2023: If You Really Want To Be Perfect

"Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21, ESV)

"If" is a flag that marks a specific condition. It is such a small word, but it carries such heavy weight. "If you would be perfect" is a conditional clause. In other words, to be perfect, what do I have to do? What are the conditions? The man comes to Jesus and asks three questions: What must I do to have eternal life? Which commands do I need to keep? And What do I still lack? 

Jesus answers all three questions. All the while leading him to a deeper and deeper place of commitment. Jesus' response sounds like this: Keep the commands, keep specifically named commands, keep this command, which became very personal. Here is what the man is told to do to be perfect: sell all you have, give away all you get, and come and follow me. It sounds like it cost the man everything to follow Jesus. That is why he went away sad.

"If" is a flag that marks a specific condition. To be perfect, what would be the specific condition in your life that Jesus would mark with a flag? The Lordship of Jesus in the life of a believer is no small thing. Lordship is more than miracles, happy worship, and scriptural musings.