Shalom my friends, shalom.

A young man once came to Jesus and asked Him what he needed to do to have eternal life and Jesus answered him with the Ten Commandments. Now when the young man boasted that he had kept all the commandments since his youth, Jesus told him to go and sell all that belonged to him and give the money to the poor and then follow Jesus.
(Read the Bible text from Matthew 19: 16 - 24)

When the young man heard that, the Bible said that he went away from Jesus feeling sorrowful because he was a very wealthy man. It was too great a sacrifice for the man. There was just too much for him to give up.

When Jesus saw the young rich man walking away, He commented that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. In fact, Jesus went on further, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. Now hang on there a second; can a camel really go through the eye of a needle? The camel is a rather large animal and for the camel to squeeze through the eye of a needle? That would have been impossible. But hang on a minute - Jesus was not referring to the eye of a needle that can be found in our mother's sewing kit. No. In fact during Bible times, the Jews built their cities with walls for protection and people come in and out of the city through the city gates. Now next to the big city gates, there is a smaller gate ('the eye of a needle') and in the evenings, the city gates would be locked to protect the city from being robbed or from the enemies.

Now if a traveler were to arrive in the city late after the gates had been closed, he would have to enter the city through the small gate. This gate is just big enough for a man to walk through. Now if he were travelling on a camel, he would have to unload all the bags and boxes from the back of the camel and lead the camel through the eye of the needle. Of course the camel would have to bend down and might even have to crawl in depending on how large the animal was. After the camel had passed through, the visitor would then have to go back outside the eye of the needle and retrieve his bags and boxes.

So you see Jesus gave us a clear illustration through the example. He was not against riches itself but our attitude towards riches. For the camel to go through that narrow gate, the entire burden on its back must be removed and then it must be made to crawl through that small gate. For a person to follow Jesus, he must not hang on tightly to his riches but be prepared to surrender them and enter unhindered.

The apostle Paul reminded the young pastor Timothy in 1 Timothy 6: 10 -
"For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows."
Money is never the root of all kinds of evil. In fact money, if put to good use, is a useful medium to get things done. However, the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. One may be a poor or rich man but when he is pre-occupied with money, he will devise all kinds of schemes to get rich if he is poor or to hang on to his riches and get even richer.

How much do we hang on to our riches is the thrust of the lesson that Jesus wanted His disciples as well as us who read His Word. In fact his disciples (reading on from the following verses in Matthew 19: 25 - 29) did ask Him who could be saved. They even reminded Jesus that they had left everything behind to follow Him. Jesus then told them of the reward that awaited them when they get to Heaven and how they were to rule with Jesus and because the disciples followed Him wholeheartedly after having left everything behind, their reward was going to be great, even a hundred-fold what they had given up.

Interesting that when Jesus mentioned in verse 29 about the hundred-fold reward, He did not say that the reward would be later when we get to Heaven. He just mentioned the reward would be a hundred-fold implying that the benefit or reward would be in this present age and in our physical lives. God honors whatever we go through to love Him and He rewards us for that.

Yes, over the years I have found Christian friends who have become closer to me than my own earthly brothers and sister and they are more in number too. I have found also that whatever I needed in life, Jesus supplied them at the right time so that I did not suffer any lack.

In fact Jesus, on the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 6: 19 - 34, taught His disciples about how they should not lay up treasures on earth but treasures in heaven. Our earthly treasures often give us more headaches - lately some of our investments have turned into "negative investments". Some people even lost their savings deposits when the banks where they deposited the money wound up and went bankrupt; our expensive jewelry are under constant watch in case they get stolen and this gives rise to gray hairs.

Notice Jesus said that we need to learn to lay up treasures in heaven. When I was a younger Christian I struggled with this - what constitute treasures in heaven? And I can only use them when I get to heaven? Well I do not think Jesus is talking about laying treasures in heaven so that we can use them when we get there. No. I believe Jesus meant investing our time and resources in building relationships, doing kingdom building.

What is that? You may ask. We need to sow seeds with our resources so that later on we can also enjoy the harvest of our sowing. When was the last time we dip into our wallet to give to a needy cause and see other lives being blessed? Or when was the last time we actually give up some time meant for ourselves but instead spend those precious moments sharing another person's heartaches, listening to his problems and encouraging the person?

I believe that as children of the Heavenly Father, Jesus will not let us go empty but will replenish us so that we can go on and do more out of love for Him. And when we are fully engaged in sowing for kingdom purpose, how we feel the peace and joy welling up in our hearts and in our spirits. Now this money cannot buy.

So now that you know the secret of the hundred-fold, why not try it? I know you will not regret it; I have not. Or do you need to take that first step and receive Jesus into your life? If you do, then please pray this simple prayer to invite Jesus into your heart and He will direct your life henceforth.

Heavenly Father, thank you for loving me and sending Jesus Your Beloved Son into this world to die for our sins.
I acknowledge my sin and my need for Your love and forgiveness. Thank You for coming into my life, Lord Jesus and for forgiving me my sins and for giving me eternal life, a life with You.
Thank you that I am now a child of God, a joint-heir with Jesus of the inheritance that is ours.
Jesus who knew no sin had become a curse for me so that I can receive His blessing.
Thank you that I am greatly blessed, highly favored, deeply loved and completely protected.
I thank you in Jesus' Name. Amen.

Now that you have taken that first step, go on and start laying up treasures in heaven whether neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6: 20 - 21)

The Lord blesses you and keeps you;
The Lord makes His face shine upon you and be gracious to you;
The Lord lifts up His countenance upon you and gives you peace. (Numbers 6: 24 - 26)

Shalom,
Andrew L W Lee

Dated : 10 November 2001