The Fine Pearl, September 27, 2011

to respond: go to your journal page in https://docs.google.com/ 




Matthew 13:45-46
⁴⁵ “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pear4ls. ⁴⁶ When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”


This parable is the companion to yesterdays, about the man who bought a field because there was a hidden treasure in it. Today, we read about a man who sold everything he had to buy a valuable pearl. He knows that the rare pearl will only increase in value. He is willing to forego all his riches for now to invest in something that will pay off big later in life.

Jesus is telling us here, like he does so many other places in the Gospel, that the treasures in Heaven are going to be so much greater than the treasures on Earth. Moreover, he says that we are to give our all in pursuit of Heaven’s treasures. That could mean sacrificing some things that we’re really fond of.

What are some things Jesus might want us to sacrifice?

Jesus might want us to sacrifice our pride. Pride keeps us from saying, “I’m sorry.” Pride prevents us from offering forgiveness. Pride hinders us when it comes to serving others.

Jesus might want us to sacrifice our popularity. Often, our pursuit of popularity has us doing things that go against Jesus’ teachings and run counter to God’s will.

Jesus might want us to sacrifice our free time. In the time that we spend on Facebook or playing video games, we could be reading some Scripture or praying, working on our relationships with Jesus. We could be serving somebody else.

What might Jesus be asking you to sacrifice today?