Matthew 13:44-58

Hidden Treasures & Pearls!!
Up until 5 years ago my whole life had been a search for “hidden treasure”. I was like the merchant in the second illustration that Jesus gives us here; always on the lookout for choice pearls. I was always searching for the one thing that would bring me happiness and security. When I thought I had found that elusive thing I was always disappointed and started looking for the next thing that would bring me peace and happiness. The more I tried to keep up with the worlds idea of peace and happiness the more miserable I got.

Then in 2004 I became like the other guy in this section; the fist guy that Jesus spoke about. This guy stumbled upon something great just like I did. He realized how amazing this treasure was and gave up everything to get it. My road was a little different. Let me explain.

My Testimony (Cliff Notes Version)
I grew up knowing God and I was always conscious of what Jesus did for me. Even though I was aware of God and His grace I never called myself a Christian. I never sought God and never worshipped Him. I went about my life totally ignorant of His amazing love and generosity and His amazing power that He wanted to extol upon me in my life. I ignored Him and did my own thing. Looking back I can clearly see the many times He tried to get my attention through friends or co-workers. Many of the more trying times in my life I can look back and see Him waiting for me with His arms open ready to comfort me and love me. I can only imagine how much I hurt Him with my refusal to acknowledge and love Him back.

Well, in 2004 I saw “The Passion of the Christ” and I knew I could no longer ignore Him. After seeing the visceral, raw images of Jesus suffering FOR ME I knew I couldn’t live my life the same as I had been. I stumbled upon something great just like the man in the field. My journey of giving up everything I have to “buy the field” is taking a little longer than I had anticipated but every day I try to get closer to “selling everything I own”. I know that my salvation was immediate it is just taking me longer than I thought to learn how to surrender my life to Jesus.....this is the process of sanctification that will not end until I am face to face with my Lord.

The salvation experience and relationship I am continuing to build with Jesus has been greater than I could have ever anticipated. Even through difficult times I have peace and joy knowing God is in control and that He will work everything out to the good of those that believe in Him (Romans 8:28). I no longer worry about “Keeping up with the Joneses” because the only one I want to keep up with now is Jesus. I know as long as I continue to seek His will that He will provide everything I need. By the way a relationship with Jesus has changed my perspective on “everything I need”. It should change yours as well.

The Fishing Net
Jesus has already told a similar tale about how at the appropriate time He will sift through this world and discard the “bad fish” and keep the good ones. My perspective on this is strong because I worked in a fish market when I was younger and I know the difference between good fish and bad fish. The biggest difference is that bad fish stink. There is no ignoring a bad fish when it is present. Do we know the bad fish in our sphere of influence?

Jesus Rejected
The people that grew up with Jesus had preconceived notions of who He was. They couldn’t possibly see Jesus as the Messiah when they remembered Him as a boy playing ball in the alley with his friends. How many of us carry around preconceived notions of others? People of other religions or from other cultures often are judged before we even get to know them. Young people with tattoos and piercings are judged unfairly sometimes as people who don’t have much to offer our society and senior citizens are often thought of as having nothing left to offer society. I see these viewpoints often......I don’t speak (or write) about things I know nothing of. As a teacher I clearly see false judgments each and every day (I also make my own false judgments quite frequently. That’s something Jesus and I are working on together). This even happens in church. Maybe yours is a more conservative church and you see someone who raises their hands or voices during worship time as strange. It is hard not to be judgmental of someone who is different from you. Don’t worry though. Jesus knows this. He experienced this first hand. He acknowledged this fact not by criticizing His hometown homeboys. He didn’t preach a fire and brimstone sermon at them either. He simply didn’t confront them a lot with something they wouldn’t understand. He knows what human nature is capable of and He knows well the heart of man.

The next time we see someone with a different hairstyle (or in my case...no hair) or wearing different clothes than we would, remember that Jesus knows our heart. He also knows how to fix it.

Have a great day. May God be with you.