20 “All these I have kept,” the young man said. “What do I still lack?”
21 Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
22 When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.
23 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
Christ knew that the man had not kept all of the commandments without fail. He also knew that they man may have observed them or practiced them. Yet He saw his heart and knew that his struggle was with his possessions and his wealth.
Christ can see our hearts and He knows our struggles and our traps. He doesn’t listen to what we say we are doing or accomplishing, He speaks truth to our weaknesses to challenge us. His truth and His conviction reveal our shortcomings and He will reveal the areas where we need to kill off our flesh and become more like Him.