A Precious Pearl

A Precious Pearl

The Kingdom of Heaven is like a pearl merchant on the lookout for choice pearls. When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it! –Matthew 13:45-46

It is interesting that Jesus used a pearl in this parable since the Hebrew people did not consider pearls precious or valuable. That fact makes this brief parable even more revealing about them and challenging to us. It shows us how we take Christ for granted, how we often prefer spiritual poverty to the riches of Christ.

The pearl merchant was a man on a search for satisfaction. He found it in the pearl that was so magnificent, so valuable, that it was worth selling everything he owned so he could buy it. But our problem with this story is the same as that of the Hebrews who heard it. We don’t value the Pearl, at least not according to its true worth. If we truly valued the Pearl, if we recognized what Christ is truly worth, we wouldn’t find it so difficult to let go of what we are called to sell off in order to treasure Christ. Embracing Christ requires that we let go of things that have been valuable to us—the religion of our parents, our past way of thinking, our sinful pleasures, and our self-righteousness. To claim Christ requires that we see him as everything we need and desire; it requires that we say, “Whatever it may cost me, I must have Christ!”

This is what David was saying when he wrote, “I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God than live the good life in the homes of the wicked” (Psalm 84:10). Paul also recognized the value of Christ: “Everything else is worthless when compared with the priceless gain of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I may have Christ and become one with him” (Philippians 3:8-9). To treasure Christ requires a change in our value system so we see the uselessness of everything in this world in comparison to the splendor of Christ. Is there anything you treasure so much that you would say, “I love this too much; I will not pay this to gain Christ”?

If you have renounced everything else for Jesus, do you think you will one day find yourself disappointed at what will have proved to be a bad bargain? No way. You will not find yourself wanting anything back. It is the exchange of your life, and it will make you eternally happy.

Pearl of great value, you are beautiful and worthy of whatever it may cost me to have you as the center of my life. Show me what needs to go so that I may have more of you.

DIGGING DEEPER