13 Then little children were brought to Jesus, that he should lay his hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them. 14 But Jesus said, “Allow the little children, and don’t forbid them to come to me; for the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to ones like these.” 15 He laid his hands on them, and departed from there.

Matthew 19:13-15 - World English Bible

In this passage from Matthew 19, a young man approached Jesus with a question that burned in the minds of many contemporaries: what can I do to have eternal life? Many people at the time felt faithful adherence to the Law was not enough; what more could they do? The Lord returned the man to the core of the Torah, the commandments. The young man claimed fidelity, both to the Ten Commandments (at least commandments four through eight, Exodus 20:12-16 and Deuteronomy 5:16-20) and Leviticus 19:18 (“Love your neighbor as yourself”). So, what more could he do? Jesus invited him to become a disciple. Notice, the Lord didn't ask the young man to bankrupt himself, in the mode of St. Francis of Assisi; in a sense, he asked the man to do more, to end his business relationships, to liquidate his assets, to follow him on the road in a mobile ministry and use his wealth to support evangelization. Those efforts represented a radical shift in lifestyle, something the young man could abide, for he could not see life without his relationships and his comfortable lifestyle.

How is God calling you today? How does his call challenge you?