"What Lack I Yet?"

There is story from the book of Matthew in the New Testament of a man who comes to the Lord and asks, "Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?" and the Lord proceeds to list of things this man needs to do. When the Lord is done with the list the man says, "All these things have I kept from my youth up: What lack I yet?" Then "Jesus beholding him loved him and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come, take up the cross, and follow me." (Matthew 19:16-22) & (Mark 10:21.)

This question, "What lack I yet?" has been ruminating in my mind for a few days. I read this story of this man I feel sorry for the man. He asked the Lord what he needed to do and the Lord, because He loved him, answered him. The Lord told him the one thing he was lacking but in the end the man wasn't willing to give up his riches for eternal life. I sometimes wonder if I am the same?

Oddly, today I had the exact opposite thought from the above. The line from a song I wrote recently kept coming to my mind. "All you see when you look at me is everything I lack..." I wonder how often we only see in others the things they are lacking or missing? I wonder if we completely miss out on great relationships, friendships or even romantic possibilities because we are so focused on what someone is lacking instead of all they posses.

I hope I am willing to give up all I posses to return to God someday and in the meantime I strive to see what people have to offer rather than what they are lacking.