Sell All You Have And Give To The Poor.

Christ had a kindness for him Jesus, beholding him, loved him. He was pleased to find that he had lived inoffensively, and pleased to see that he was inquisitive how to live better than so. Christ particularly loves to see young people, and rich people, asking the way to heaven, with their faces thitherward.

Here is a sorrowful parting between Christ and this young man. Christ gave him a command of trial, by which it would appear whether he did in sincerity aim at eternal life, and press towards it: he seemed to have his heart much upon it, and if so, he is what he should be but has he indeed his heart upon it? Bring him to the touchstone.

Can he find in his heart to part with his riches for the service of Christ? He hath a good estate, and now, shortly, at the first founding of the Christian church, the necessity of the case will require that those who have lands, sell them, and lay the money at the apostles' feet and how will he dispense with that? Acts 4:34,35. After awhile, tribulation and persecution will arise, because of the word and he must be forced to sell his estate, or have it taken from him, and how will he like that? Let him know the worst now if he will not come up to these terms, let him quit his pretensions as good as the first as at last. "Sell whatsoever thou hast over and above what is necessary for thy support " probably, he had no family to provide for let him therefore be a father to the poor, and make them his heirs. Every man, according to his ability, must relieve the poor, and be content, when there is occasion, to straiten himself to do it. Worldly wealth is given us, not only as maintenance to bear our charges through this world, according to our place in it, but as talent, to be used and employed for the glory of our great Master in the world, who hath so ordered it, that the poor we should have always with us as his receivers.

Can he find it in his heart to go through the hardest costliest services he may be called to as a disciple of Christ, and depend upon him for a recompence in heaven? He asks Christ what he should do more than he has done to obtain eternal life, and Christ puts it to him, whether he has indeed that firm belief of, and that high value for, eternal life that he seems to have. Doth he really believe there is a true treasure in heaven sufficient to make up all he can leave, or lose, or lay out, for Christ? Is he willing to deal with Christ upon trust? Can he give him credit for all he is worth and be willing to bear a present cross, in expectation of a future crown? - Matthew Henry