The Rich Young Ruler

This morning I read the passage about the rich young ruler. This man has been an increasing challenge to me recently. This man was wealthy. He was morally upright. He had kept the law since he was a child. All this seems to describe me. I have been abundantly blessed with material goods. I have been taught the Bible since I was a child. I have gone to a Christian church for as long as I can remember. How am I like this young man? Am I too attached to the things in this world. Is Christ asking me to give up some of these "things" and give to the poor? What kind of living standard does God expect of His people here on this earth? He has blessed us with so much. Yet, there are so many people in this world with so little. Is it good enough to live on a similar standard to those around us, or is God calling us to make more sacrifices than that? How many creature comforts can we have here on earth and still long for heaven? Does God just want us to tithe and live the rest of our lives for ourselves? How much time can we devote to our jobs, and how much time is God calling us to give for work in His kingdom? How can I make my work at my job glorify Him? Everything we do should be for His glory? These are questions that I ponder from time to time. I pray that the answers to these questions would draw me closer to Him.