The Camel and Eye of Needle.

PRIDE is a high or inordinate opinion of one's superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.

Regardless how one tries to cloak PRIDE, it remains PRIDE and very difficult to relinquish because... Jesus tells us to lose our ambition and follow Him. To find life we have to first lose our life. To be first we have to be last. He says we are to put the interest of others before ourselves. To carry the bag two miles and oppose evil by doing good. He commands us to pray for our enemies and not to repay evil with evil.

PRIDE is the sole obstacle keeping men and women from surrendering their life to Jesus Christ. People tend to place their faith in a variety of things, including themselves. After all, it is they who work hard, it is they who make the money, and it is they who provide for their family. Not Jesus. After all we are the ones who are hurt and need justice. Not Jesus. We need healing. Not Jesus. We get hungry, not Jesus.

The prerequisite to surrendering your life to Jesus Christ, the only trait required, is HUMILITY. I would argue people never volunteer to exchange their PRIDE for HUMILITY. Hence the camel and the eye of the needle illustration. No one surrenders their life and ambition to carry their cross and follow Jesus without HUMILITY. Why? 

Jesus' message is the love of money is deadly and a great obstacle to developing and growing a relationship with God. He used a camel (which is large) and the eye of a needle (which is tiny) to illustrate the power money/wealth possesses in one's life and how difficult it can be to defeat that power.

Very humble people exist who haven’t heard the story of Jesus Christ and thus surrendering is not an option. They have no choice to make. Once one becomes aware of the story of Jesus Christ, then and only then is the option available to surrender or reject Jesus.

Surrendering, by default, says one has knowledge and is aware of the option to serve Jesus, to obey Jesus, to follow Jesus. 

The message of the camel and eye of a needle says we need to be vigilant and guard our relationship with God.