As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. “Good teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good—except God alone. You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, you shall not steal, you shall not give false testimony, you shall not defraud, honor your father and mother.’”
“Teacher,” he declared, “all these I have kept since I was a boy.”
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.”
At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth.
Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
Mark 10:17-23
During 2026, Peachtree Church is inviting everyone into Cultivate, a churchwide discipleship plan centered on the fruit of the Spirit and the kind of life God longs to grow in us. Throughout the year, we’ll explore how love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control take shape in everyday life through the Spirit’s work. Cultivate brings together worship, Scripture, group guides, and meaningful practices designed to meet you where you are and support growth in ways that fit your season. These twice-weekly devotionals are one way to stay connected, offering reflection and grounding for daily life with God. Whether you engage in many ways or just one, you’re invited to be part of this shared journey of becoming more rooted in who God has created and called you to be.
Devotional
As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of the birth of our nation, there has been a great deal of reflection on the events and people who have helped shape America’s story. One of those figures, of course, is Abraham Lincoln. On the day after Lincoln’s assassination, Ansel Judd Northrup wrote, “A great and good man has fallen!”
That description has since been used to describe other important figures in our history. But the phrase itself highlights an important truth: greatness and goodness are not always the same thing. A person can achieve greatness, wealth, influence, and power, and yet not display true goodness.
The story of the rich young man describes someone who had achieved a great deal early in life. In Luke’s Gospel, he is described as “the rich young ruler.” He had status, success, wealth, and moral seriousness. And yet, despite all he had achieved, something was still missing.
Jesus’ response reminds him, “No one is good—except God alone.” In other words, real goodness is not found in what we accomplish, possess, or achieve. Real goodness is found in relationship with God. We may earn greatness, but goodness comes through the work of the Spirit in our lives.
I believe Jesus told the young man to sell everything and follow him not because wealth is inherently bad, but because his wealth had become the source of his identity. When our identity is rooted in what we achieve and in what we possess rather than in our relationship with our good God, we will always feel as though we must do more, earn more, or become more in order to experience the truly good life.
We can earn greatness, but goodness only comes by surrendering to the grace of God.
For Reflection
- Do you ever feel that something is missing in your life?
- Where do you find your identity?
- Do others see God’s goodness through your actions?
Prayer
Lord, we thank you for the great and good people that have shaped our history. Give us the grace to reflect your goodness in the way that we live our lives and to look for the good in others. In a land of plenty, help us to hold our possessions loosely always finding our identity in you and you alone. Amen.
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Devotionals