What's your "One Thing"?

Do you remember that movie City Slickers? (I know, I'm on a movie roll right now!) I loved that movie! My family watched it a lot. Do you recall that famous line from Curly about the meaning of life?

Curly: do you know what the secret of life is?
Curly: This [holds up index finger]
Mitch: Your finger?
Curly: One thing, just one thing. You stick to that and the rest don't mean (expletive) nothin'.
Mitch: But what is the "One Thing"?
Curly: That's what you have to figure out.

What's the one thing?

There was a guy who came running up to Jesus, fell on his knees and asked, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life" (Mark 10:17-23)

Sounds good, right? Genuine and honorable question. He obviously wanted to know. Look at him! He comes running up, assumes a position of humility and asks a great question, The question!

Jesus response is that he should obey the commands of God (10 commands). To which this guy says he has, since he was a child. So, he's not only inquisitive and wants to make sure he's doing the right thing, he is already DOING the right things. He must just want to make sure he's got all his spiritual bases covered.

Jesus surely is impressed with this young man and his devotion to God's Word and his desire to do whatever it takes to spend eternity with his Heavenly Father. So Jesus, wanting to make sure the guy is really ready for heaven, tells him to do just one more thing... Sell your possessions and give the money to the poor, then you will be welcomed into heaven.

What's the one thing for you? The most important thing in your life? Jesus has a way of cutting through all the phony actions and speech and getting right to the heart of the issue. What is it that you can't live without? What is it that you wouldn't trade for Jesus? For this guy it was his stuff. His possessions. That was his "one thing." And because "stuff" was his one thing, Jesus couldn't be. Mark says he, "went away sad" because he had great wealth.

The secret of life is Jesus. Just that one thing. A relationship with The One and only Savior of mankind. There may be nine other things in your life that are important to you but if The One thing you can't live without isn't Jesus you're gonna have problems. Figure that out for yourself and you'll be just fine.