Good Teacher

As Jesus was setting out on a journey, a man ran up,

knelt down before him, and asked him,

“Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?”

Jesus answered him, “Why do you call me good? 

No one is good but God alone.

You know the commandments: You shall not kill;

you shall not commit adultery;

you shall not steal;

you shall not bear false witness;

you shall not defraud;

honor your father and your mother.” 

He replied and said to him,

“Teacher, all of these I have observed from my youth.”

Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said to him,

“You are lacking in one thing.

Go, sell what you have, and give to the poor

and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” 

At that statement his face fell,

and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Mark 10:17-27

Good teacher, I have kept the law,
been faithful from my youth:
Shall I then enter heaven's doors
and dwell in endless truth?

Or is there something lacking yet,
some law left unfulfilled,
some measure that I have not met
in all that God has willed?

I honor all my kith and kin;
unstintingly I tithe,
but shall I ever enter in
and have eternal life?

I see no loathing in your eyes,
no judgment on your part—
No, but I feel the answ'ring fires
that kindle in my heart.

Have I been missing, all these years,
what God would have me do?
I met the standard of my fears,
but never yet met you.

Then call me on to something else—
my strength cannot avail—
and draw me closer to yourself,
though all my steps may fail.

And though I stumble on the way
as I had not before,
yet, Teacher, call me still, I pray
to seek you ever more.