“Some” …

As a Personal Trainer, I’ve always been able to get results for my clients. At least, for the ones willing to do the work necessary to achieve their goals. One of the saddest experiences as a Personal Trainer is when you help a person understand that they can, indeed, achieve their goals regarding fitness, and help the person understand what will be necessary to get them where they really what to be physically … but the person is unwilling to do what it takes to reach their goal. They are willing to remain unfit and deconditioned rather than put forth the effort to have a fit body.

Some people are willing to do “some” … a little cardio here, a little nutrition there, and a pinch of muscular conditioning there … but they aren’t willing to do it all, in the necessary doses, to truly be fit.

A sadder sight is to see someone like that with regard to their relationship with Jesus Christ. They’re willing to do “some” … occasionally utter a silent prayer, show up at church fairly consistently, even occasionally drop something in the offering plate … but live a life as a disciple, day in and day out? Well, that’s asking too much. It’s too much effort. It’s easier to sit in our circles in Bible studies and talk about how hard it is to be Christian rather than to get up every day and go fight the good fight of faith.

Jesus met a young man like this, as told in Mark 10. The story is often known as the story of the rich young ruler. He came to Jesus and asked Him what he must do to have eternal life. Jesus named a few things and the fellow said He had done all those things. Then Jesus finally told him that he needed to go sell all his possessions and give the money to the poor, and then come follow Him. In Mark 10:22 we read, “At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.”

Here was a guy who knew what he wanted. Jesus knew how he could get it, and gave the fellow the answer … but he just wasn’t willing to pay the price. He was willing to do “some,” but not everything. So he walked away. And notice … Jesus let him go! Jesus didn’t chase him down and try to negotiate. He informed the man what was required, and left it to him to decide whether he would commit or not.

Some churches are too full of those who are willing to do “some.” The “some” usually is comprised of the comfortable things. But God does not call us to a life where we live out “some” commitment. God is so committed to us that He gave His only Son so that we might be saved. He expects the same kind of commitment in return … our whole lives! He has purchased us with the shed blood of His Son, and we owe Him everything. So how could we even consider holding back in any aspect of our lives with regard to serving Christ?!

Imagine what the church would be like if each of us, every day, gave our “all” for Jesus Christ. If we held back nothing, in any aspect of our lives. If we longed for opportunity to serve the Lord. If we had no boundaries to our faith. If we sought out chances to be used by God. Just think of the impact we could make on this world if we each really offered “all.”

There’s a great hymn that puts it beautifully … “All to Jesus, I surrender … all to Him I freely give …”

We need to do what the rich young ruler failed to do … “sell out” for Jesus, and follow Him.

Scotty