A Young Man's Story

A young man came to hear the Teacher. He had heard all the reports about him, how he healed the sick, cast out demons from many, and even raised someone from the dead. He also heard that the crowds were deeply affected by his teachings, although he was very controversial and the authorities were supposedly out to get him. So the young man joined the crowds that followed him about the countryside listening to his words and marveling at his works.

He listened day after day as the Teacher spoke of how we should love everyone as our brother, how we should look out for those in need, how we should be upright in all our affairs. The young man was deeply moved by his words, and he longed for the opportunity to speak to the Teacher himself about his own life.

One day he got up the courage to approach the Teacher. He had been doing his work with the people all day and he seemed tired. But he welcomed the young man when he walked up to him. Nervously he posed the question that he had been turning over in his mind ever since he first heard the Teacher speak:

"Master, what must I do to have eternal life?"

To the young man's surprise the Teacher responded that to have eternal life he simply needed to keep the commandments. This was not the answer he had expected. It was a textbook answer, one he had known since his childhood. It was for more than this that he had followed the Teacher to this deserted place. So he pressed him further:

"Which commandments?"

This time the Teacher responded with seeming impatience.

"You know the commandments! You shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not lie. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself."

Still this was not the answer he was looking for. He had always kept these commandments, and he was sure he always would. But he was looking for something more, something that would give meaning to his life. So he persisted.

"I have observed the commandments from my childhood, but something is still lacking in my life. What is it?"

The Teacher was silent for a moment. He gazed at the young man intently, as if recognizing that there was more to him than he first thought, that he was sincere. His look softened, and he said,

"If you wish to have eternal life, go and give everything you have to the poor, and then come and follow me."

The young man could not believe what he was hearing. Give up everything and follow him? That was too much. He could find nothing to say in response. After a moment he turned slowly and walked away. The Teacher watched him for a long time as he walked downcast on the road back to Jerusalem.

The record of the life and teachings of Jesus contains no further mention of him. Nothing is known of what happened to him after he turned and walked away from Jesus that day.

But I know what became of that young man. I am he.

I moved on with my life. I put the question of eternal life out of my mind and concentrated on getting ahead in this life. I went into business. I worked very hard at it, and soon I started to make money. One success followed another, and after a time I had enough money that I was secure and did not have to worry about the future. I had time to enjoy life. I had many friends, and I passed my time in pleasant company. I enjoyed good health. I had the best of everything.

Things went on this way for a long time. But eventually I went through some changes in my life. The things that I had worked for did not interest me any more. Things that had once given me pleasure did not satisfy me any longer. I began to sense that I did not have as much control over my life as I once thought I had. At times I had a vague feeling that I was like a defenseless child.

This feeling of being like a child brought back to me something I remembered about the Great Teacher. I remembered something he had said on that very day when I approached him and spoke to him about the quest for eternal life. People had been bringing children to him, but his disciples were annoyed by this and scolded them. When the Teacher saw this he told them to let the children come to him, because it was to these very children that the kingdom of God had been given. He even went so far as to say that unless a man became like a little child he could not enter the kingdom. I did not understand it at the time, but now the truth of it began to dawn on me.

I realized that his words were about me. I looked around me and saw the immensity of creation, and I saw that I was an insignificant part of it. I could not help but turn my thoughts to the greatness of the Creator who was behind all this wonder. I could see that my existence added nothing to the beauty of creation. I could not think of a single thing I had done that would justify my existence. I could not make any claim or put forth any argument on my own behalf. I saw that I had no right to anything before God.

But even though I in no way deserved my life, still it had been given to me. Why did God, who created all the vast wonders of the universe, choose to create me? I could not find the answer to this question within myself. The answer would only come if God would reveal it himself. In fact I could know nothing of God, nor could I know anything of the ultimate meaning of my own life, unless God revealed it.

But the time came when God did reveal himself to me, and it was a revelation marvelous to behold. It was not an extraordinary revelation. What was revealed to me was what God has been revealing to his children throughout the ages. I had heard it from my childhood, but I had never understood it. I had seen it manifested in signs and wonders, but I had never discerned its meaning. Now I saw with the eyes of faith, and I understood for the first time what I had heard all my life.

God called me out of nothingness so that he could love me. This is the sole purpose of my existence.

When he put the spark of life in me I was a delight to him. He watched me grow with a heart filled with love. He was saddened when I turned away from him. But he kept watch for me with a never-ending love until the day when I would return to him.

And what was true of me was true of all. God created all his children that he might love them. His love is great enough to embrace all of them, and he loves each one as though he were the only child in the world. He cannot bear that a single one of his children be without his love.

He has shown us in a most wonderful way that he would stop at nothing for love of us. He gave us his own beloved Son, the very incarnation of himself, to show how great is his love for us. He came among us, a man like us, to show us the way, and to lead us back to God. He is with us still.

I call to mind that day when he spoke to me. He spoke such truth, and he looked upon with me with such love. I am ready now to answer his call to give up everything and follow him. I thank God it is not too late.

I have been changed forever by the revelation of God's love. I have not joined the company of angels. I am still a man, and I bear all the markings of the human condition. But where I was once like a stump of decaying wood, I am now like a seed sown in good earth. And like the springtime, I am filled with hope.

Every new day is a gift from God, filled with opportunity. I will wait for God to speak to me today, to show me his will, the purpose for which he has given me this day. I will watch and pray, so that I will not miss his word when he speaks.

I do not expect to be called upon to do extraordinary things, for I am an ordinary man. But every labor I undertake today, however small, will give glory to God and will draw me closer to him. And every encounter with another will be an encounter in faith with God himself.