Everything

Matthew 13:44-46

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.

These two kingdom parables are some of my favorite verses in the Bible. I often find myself coming back to them in meditation as reminders and sources of encouragement, strength and joy. They are very similar to each other yet with some interesting differences. It seems that sometimes Christ draws attention to certain key ideas by telling two similar stories that have a few striking differences.

In the first story we see a man who stumbles over a treasure in a field. He was probably not looking for it (searching a farmers field for a buried treasure would be an impossible task) but the response of finding the treasure is amazing; with JOY, he sells all that he has to buy the field. Let us not lose sight of what this treasure is representing; this is Christ… His kingdom… His life lived.

Yet, in the second we see a merchant who is searching. With all probability searching his whole life to find this one pearl that would be the crowning symbol of all that he was. Once again, let us not lose sight of what this pearl is representing; this is Jesus. Here Jesus is saying that His kingdom is like a merchant who is searching for something…no, THE thing. The merchant’s response is equally amazing; he sells all that he has and buys it!

Two different stories. Two different people. Two very different journeys. Yet one response; they both sold everything and bought Christ and His Kingdom. It would seem that passion (in its simplest form) is selling all that you have so that you can gain Christ… as a stumbler or as a searcher… as a man on a journey or as a “man on a mission”.

The question is; what is everything AND what would you be willing to sell everything for?

Everything (2)