ourself
to Him. You trust in your possessions and in your good deeds."

_This is unreasonable!_ thought the young man. He turned and left. Yet
the longing to be sure he had pleased God was strong still. "That is no
solution!" he insisted, arguing within himself. "God cannot ask me to
give up things he has given me. People turn from sins--not from their
good deeds!" But he could not forget Jesus' demand: "Repent! You love
your own riches more than you love God. Repent!"

Jesus looked sorrowfully after the young man. "How difficult it is for a
rich man to enter the Kingdom!" he exclaimed regretfully. "It is easier
for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to
give himself to God!"

The disciples listened astonished. Finally Simon blurted out: "But,
Master, if he cannot be saved, who can? He is a good man!"

Jesus answered with the deepest feeling: "Simon, with man it is
impossible. But with God--all things are possible!"

"Well," said Simon, "if giving up things is the answer, we ought to have
eternal life. We have given up everything!" There was bitterness in his
voice, and everyone knew he was thinking of his children in Capernaum.

Jesus felt great sympathy for Simon, and his answer was very gentle.
"Yes, Simon, you have given up much. But you need not fear--a man who
gives up his home and his property for my sake will never be sorry. He
will receive back a hundred times over the eternal gifts which God gives
those who love him. Many who now are rich will be the last in God's
Kingdom; but those who are poor for my sake will be the very first in
his Kingdom!"

That night the disciples stayed in Tarichaea. They did not argue any
more about what Jesus had told the rich Pharisee, but they were more
troubled by these words than by anything else Jesus had said. His
teachings seemed against everything they had ever learned!

The next day, as the band of men walked with Jesus toward Nazareth,
Simon brought up the question. "Teacher," he said earnestly, "I don't
understand why you talked to that young Pharisee as you did. He was
very sincere. The Pharisees do more to obey God than any others and this
young man looked to me as though he tried even harder than most. God had
even given him riches as a reward for his goodness! And yet you said he
had to get rid of all his wealth in order to enter the Kingdom of
Heaven!" Simon could hardly find words to express his strong feelings.
"I needed to repent