SCRIPTURE: Matthew 13:44-46 – The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
COMMENTARY: Even though these two stories deal with the same topic, the kingdom of heaven, there is one stark difference. In the first story, the man stumbles across the treasure. In the second story, the man has been searching for it for years. Some people seem to just stumble into Jesus along the way. Certain situations in life just happen to bring the two together. A person can be walking through life and upon first glance in this chance meeting they realize Jesus and his kingdom are of unmeasureable value. Others have had a tug on their heart for years and have looked for that fulfillment everywhere: in astrology or psychics; in Buddha or Joseph Smith; in places that denigrated Christ’s name proudly or places that bore his name on the door, but not his Spirit within. Either way, whether by surprise or by careful search, we can find Christ. When he is found, he is so wonderful that nothing else matters because, well, nothing else matters.
If Christ is our treasure, we have a different view of earthly things: we can enjoy life and the things of this world, but they do not own us.
REFLECTION: What are some ways you can tell what someone values? How did you feel the day you discovered Jesus? What does it mean to enjoy God’s blessings without demanding them? Restate Jim Elliot’s quote in your own words: “He is no fool to give what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
Father, help me to daily offer, with unclenched fists, the "things" ( be they attitudes, people, possessions) that I too often think I can't do without. How silly to be tethered to the impermanent when You hold out real freedom.
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