One Thing

From: The Lord Is My Shepherd and Other Papers By: Hamilton Smith

• 1 min. read • grade level: 7

"One thing thou lackest" (Mark 10:21²¹Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me. (Mark 10:21)).

"One thing is needful" (Luke 10:42⁴²But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42)).

"One thing I do" (Phil. 3:13¹³Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, (Philippians 3:13))

The Scriptures in which these three statements occur, bring before us very different characters. In the first passage we learn that "one thing" was lacking in the rich young ruler. In the second, we learn in the story of Martha and Mary that the "one thing" lacking is the "one thing" needful. In the third Scripture, we find that the "one thing" needful, is the "one thing" that marked the Apostle Paul.

Seeing that our Lord lays such stress upon this "one thing," it surely behooves us to search our hearts, in the light of these Scriptures, with the earnest desire to be marked by this "one thing."

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