This man had the right posture. Some may have called it theatrics, running and falling at Jesus’ feet like that. Was he humble? Not for me to judge, but he was prostrating himself before God in the flesh – the God who knew his heart.

 

He told Jesus he had kept the commandments since his youth. The Scriptures say that Jesus looked at him and loved him.

 

I find it interesting that Jesus challenged him on the one thing that held his heart captive: wealth. Not only did the young man fall on his knees, but then his face fell too –and he left Jesus sad. Of all those who encountered Jesus, he is the only one explicitly recorded as going away sad.

 

Another man who ran was Zacchaeus. Short in stature and reputation, he had heard that Jesus was coming to town and sought a vantage point to see him. He ran to a sycamore-fig tree – and he met Jesus. Zacchaeus sure did meet Jesus and he told him that he was coming to his house that day.

 

Luke 19:8 records how he was willing to give his possessions away: ‘But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.”’

 

One soul glad, the other sad. What about you, where do you stand? Is there something in your heart that, if challenged by Jesus, would leave you feeling sad?

 

The young man seemed to have a proper religious upbringing – the commands had been impressed upon him since he was a child, probably by devout parents. But sadly, wealth had seemingly become the trappings of an earthly life.

 

Zacchaeus on the other hand, had a less illustrious path to Jesus. As a tax collector – he was despised by the people. In their eyes, he was a sinner if ever there was one. Even that day, they were muttering about how sinful he was.

 

I believe, it is not how you start, but how you respond when you come face to face with the Lord of Lords. And he has untold resources, which he lavishly pours out on those who admit spiritual bankruptcy and choose him. Jesus once said, “Blessed are the poor in spirit,hfor theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)

 

Prayer: Father God, please help us with our sometimes errant hearts. May we always be on the lookout for idols that threaten our eternal relationship with you. Amen .

 

Net toe Jesus uit die huis uitkom om verder te gaan, kom daar iemand aangehardloop. Hy val toe voor Hom op sy knieë en vra Hom: “Goeie Leermeester, wat moet ek doen om die ewige lewe te verkry?” Markus 10:17, 1983-vertaling

 

Hierdie man het die regte houding gehad. Sommige mag dit as teatraal beskou, om so te hardloop en voor Jesus se voete neer te val. Was hy nederig? Nie vir my om te oordeel nie, maar hy het gekniel voor God wat vlees geword het – die God wat sy hart geken het.

 

Hy het vir Jesus gesê dat hy sedert sy jeug die Wet onderhou het. Die Bybel sê Jesus het na hom gekyk en hom liefgekry.

 

Ek vind dit interessant dat Jesus hom uitgedaag het oor die een ding wat sy hart gevange gehou het: rykdom. Nie net het die jongman neergekniel nie, maar hy het toe ook baie teneergedruk geword – en hy het bedroef van Jesus weggegaan. Van almal wat Jesus ontmoet het, is hierdie jongman die enigste een van wie die Bybel duidelik sê dat hy bedroef weggegaan het.

 

Daar is nog 'n man wat gehardloop het, Saggeus. Hy was kort en met 'n nie te goeie reputasie nie, maar hy het gehoor dat Jesus na sy dorp toe kom en hy het 'n uitkykpunt gesoek om Hom te sien. Hy het na 'n wildevyeboom gehardloop en hy het Jesus ontmoet. Jesus het vir Saggeus gesê dat Hy daardie dag na sy huis toe sou kom.

 

In Lukas 19:8 lees ons dat Saggeus gewillig was om sy besittings weg te gee: "Maar Saggeus het opgestaan en vir die Here gesê: “Here, ek gaan die helfte van my goed vir die armes gee, en waar ek iets van iemand afgepers het, gee ek dit vierdubbel terug.”

 

Een persoon bly en die ander een bedroef. Wat van jou, waar staan jy? Is daar iets in jou lewe wat, as Jesus jou daaroor uitdaag, jy bedroef gaan voel?

 

Dit wil voorkom of die jongman 'n deeglike godsdienstige opvoeding gehad het – van kleins af is hy die wette geleer, moontlik deur toegewyde ouers. Maar skynbaar het rykdom ongelukkig sy aardse lewe oorheers.

 

Saggeus, aan die ander kant, se pad na Jesus was minder roemryk. As 'n tollenaar is hy deur die mense verag. In hulle oë was hy 'n groot sondaar. Selfs op daardie dag het hulle loop en brom oor hoe sondig hy was.

 

Ek glo dit is nie hoe jy begin nie, maar hoe jy reageer wanneer jy van aangesig tot aangesig met die lewende God kom. En Hy het ontelbare hulpbronne wat Hy mildelik uitgiet oor diegene wat erken dat hulle geestelik bankrot is, en Hom dan kies. Jesus het op 'n keer gesê: “Gelukkig is die armes van gees, want aan hulle behoort die koninkryk van die hemele." (Matteus 5:3, 2020-vertaling)