Give up my Stuff?

There are many questions that we ask in life.  Some questions, are ones we ask to ourselves, others are directed at someone else.  While reading in Matthew, it is easy to see that the master question asker is Jesus Christ.  Not only does he ask profound, thought provoking questions, but he also gives some of the greatest answers as well.  The story I would like to share today is found in Matthew chapter 19 verses 16-23.  It begins with a man asking Christ a question.

16 ¶And, behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have ^aeternal life?  (important question)

 17 And he said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none ^agood but one, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into ^blife, keep the ^ccommandments.....

  20 The young man saith unto him, All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet?

 21 Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be ^aperfect, go and sell that thou hast, and ^bgive to the ^cpoor, and thou shalt have ^dtreasure in heaven: and come and ^efollow me.

 22 But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful: for he had ^agreat possessions.

This man was asked to give Christ all that he had and follow Him.  Not just some, but all.  Elder Bruce C. Hafen said "If we must give all that we have, then our giving only almost everything is not enough. If we almost keep the commandments, we almost receive the blessings."  Do we shrink at the thought of giving all we have?  Do we go away with sorrow in our hearts, putting the treasures of this life behind us?

I love how Jesus emphasizes doing away with the worldly things and focus on the "treasure's in heaven."  That is what matters.  The things of this earth will pass with time, but the things of heaven are eternal.  We should be striving to reach eternal life daily.  It should be at the forefront of our minds.  "We can have eternal life if we want it, but only if there is nothing else we want more." (Elder Bruce C. Hafen)  It is up to us to use our agency and choose eternal life.  If we give it our all, it will be enough.  Put aside the natural man to become something more.