“But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” ‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:31‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

Jesus starts this sentence with “but” so it is opposite of the previous sentence. “I assure you,” Jesus said, “there is no one who has left house, brothers or sisters, mother or father, children, or fields because of Me and the gospel, who will not receive 100 times more, now at this time — houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions — and eternal life in the age to come.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:29-30‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.10.29-30.hcsb

Not opposite as to contradict but opposite to what we may think. So I think that Jesus might mean, “But many who appear to have it all together will be last, and those who appear to have no clue will be first.” We tend to look at the outward appearance and think that what we see is what is really happening in their life. But we don’t have the full story. And God does not judge on the outward appearance of life but the condition of the heart.

The prophet and judge Samuel had it all wrong when he was anointing a king to replace one who had turned away from the God who picked the king.

“In peace,” he replied. “I’ve come to sacrifice to the Lord. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” Then he consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they arrived, Samuel saw Eliab and said, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed one is here before Him.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:5-6‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1sa.16.5-6.hcsb

But God had other plans.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1sa.16.7.hcsb

“So Jesse sent for him. He had beautiful eyes and a healthy, handsome appearance. Then the Lord said, “Anoint him, for he is the one.”

‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:12‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1sa.16.12.hcsb

David was someone to look at but God did not choose him because of his appearance but of his heart, for he was known as a man after God’s own heart.

“But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”

‭‭I Samuel‬ ‭13:14‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

https://www.bible.com/114/1sa.13.14.nkjv

So just because we do the right things like selling all we have and giving to the poor then if we have the wrong motives we are not going in the right direction. 

How does Paul explain it?

“If I speak human or angelic languages but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.”

‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:1-3‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/1co.13.1-3.hcsb

The motives of the heart are how God judges us. People will look at the outward appearance but God looks to the attitudes, motives, thoughts, and intentions of the heart. And the word of God is what reveals them to us.

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:12‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/heb.4.12.

We may appear to be doing the right things but our attitude will determine whether we have the correct attitudes. The correct attitudes will lead us in the correct direction, but a poor attitude will result in a hurt, revengeful, and anger attitude toward what is meant to be good in our life. 

If Jesus would have forced the rich young ruler to stay with Him and walk away from all he had, then he would have been bitter and angry toward Jesus and not been helpful in His ministry. But Jesus let him go so that he could choose if he was to sell what made him look like he had it all together.

“But he was stunned at this demand, and he went away grieving, because he had many possessions.”

‭‭Mark‬ ‭10:22‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/mrk.10.22.hcsb

Who knows maybe someday between this day and his death He did end up selling all he had and found Jesus’ eternal life. Maybe he was part of the crowd in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost and was added to the church that day.

“So those who accepted his message were baptized, and that day about 3,000 people were added to them.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭2:41‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/act.2.41.hcsb

Maybe he was the main motivator in the early church having all things in common and selling to the poor.

“Now the large group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one said that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common.

For there was not a needy person among them, because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of the things that were sold, and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed for each person’s basic needs.”

‭‭Acts‬ ‭4:32, 34-35‬ ‭HCSB‬‬

https://www.bible.com/72/act.4.32,34-35.hcsb