Jesus looked at him and loved him. (Mark 10:21)

Jesus’ calling to each of us is full of love.  However, we have absolute freedom as to how to respond to the call, “Come and follow me!”  Afterall, “freedom” is God’s greatest gift to us.

To abandon one’s “baggage” (i.e. the attitude that “I’m supreme”), in order to follow God, is the most difficult thing to do.  Therefore, Jesus said, “Children, how hard it is (for the rich) to enter the kingdom of God!”

In the gospel, the rich youngster “walked away sadly, because he owned a lot of property.”  However, Jesus continued to say, “For human beings it is impossible, but not for God. All things are possible for God."  The tax collector, Matthew, abandoning his position to follow Christ is one of the many examples that God can accomplish what human thought is impossible.

Jesus said unceasingly, "Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the gospel who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come.

Besides following Him, Jesus also asked of us to “drink His cup”, so that we may become His useful instruments.