December 1: Weekly Reading- Rich Young Ruler;The Reluctant & Insight Post by Jessica Woodcock

  -   December 1, 2025

Following Jesus Requires Sacrifice: The Rich Young Ruler learned that following Jesus would require giving up his wealth, a sacrifice he wasn’t ready to make. Jesus shows us that discipleship often means letting go of what we hold dear.

Monday Verse

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ. Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

Monday Questions

What in my life am I holding onto that might be hindering me from fully following Jesus? What sacrifices might God be asking of me?

Monday Insight Post
by Jessica Woodcock

Do not murder, don’t steal, don’t testify falsely… Many of us find these easy. Honor your father and mother, love your neighbor as yourself, don’t cheat anyone… these get a little harder. What if I don’t have the best relationship with my parents? What if my neighbor is abrasive? It can be hard to get ahead. How much harm can this one small thing cause on the grand scale? It can be easy to let these commands slide when the things we treasure feel threatened.

Jesus doesn’t just call us to obey what feels manageable. He invites us into a deeper surrender—one that requires trust, cost, and sacrifice. Sometimes what holds us back isn’t something obviously sinful, but something good that has taken up too much space in our hearts. A role, a comfort, a possession, a reputation—anything we cling to so tightly that it keeps us from fully following Him. The question becomes: What am I holding onto that is keeping me from saying yes to Jesus with my whole life?

I was raised in a traditional church, I was trained to serve and to put others above myself, and in truth… I love it. I love to serve, I’m happy to jump in wherever I’m needed (as long as it’s not front and center). I’m thankful my husband is on the same page and that we’ve raised our children to serve as well. We have all found our niches at New Hope, and I love arriving as a family and either working together or splitting off into our chosen areas. We also serve outside the church. There are so many good things going on at New Hope and in our community, so many places to lend support or a helping hand, that it is easy to become overextended and to then continue on my own strength. For the last several months, God has called me to let go of an area of service, and in truth, I don’t want to. I know this area is important and needs good people to commit. Though exhausting, I enjoy serving. I also don’t want to admit that I have failed, that I cannot continue in this area. I’ve struggled with this for months, I’ve prayed for strength, for a change of heart, for a change of season. I’ve also tried to continue on my own strength.  Yet God has clearly answered that it is time for this season of my family’s life to close.

It’s been hard to accept that God is asking me to set this down. And to be honest, even though I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that this season has ended, and this is God’s will, I’m still struggling with it. It’s a big sacrifice for me, but I know that God has good things in store for me. Mark says, Looking at the young man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. Mark 10:21 (NLT) Can you imagine, what God had is store for this young man? What blessings did he walk away from because he valued his possessions too much to set them down before Christ? I don’t want to be like the rich young ruler who turned and walked away. I want to follow Christ fully. I’m praying that God helps me to willingly set this down, to willingly sacrifice my pride, my desire to control, my fear of letting others down, so that I am open to receive whatever He has in store for me.

What are you hanging on to? What burden, habit, title, or comfort might God be asking you to release? As we move from a season of thankfulness into a season of giving, I encourage you to reflect: What might God be inviting you to sacrifice so you can follow Jesus more freely and more fully?

Jessica Woodcock
Family Ministry Staff and Administrative Manager

New Hope Church
Lorton, Virginia
www.newhope.org