The Priceless Pearl
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one priceless pearl, he went and sold everything he had, and bought it”. Matthew 13:45-46
In Matthew 13, a large crowd has gathered around Jesus and He begins speaking to them in parables. A parable is usually a short story that illustrates a lesson or a particular truth. The parables of Jesus are all about everyday life, things people of any generation could relate to or understand. We also will most likely remember the point, the moral of the parable.
In this particular parable, Jesus begins to speak of the kingdom of God in a way that would draw a distinct line centered on one great truth: the value or worth of the kingdom of God. In 2 sentences, Jesus captured the essence of the kingdom of God. Let’s look at these 2 sentences for a minute.
The main character in the parable is a merchant. A merchant is someone who gathers (buys, or trades) items of value to sell to people in need or desire of these things; to exchange, really, one thing for another…..for a profit. A merchant, is by nature, someone on the lookout for a bargain, something that he considers others might want and be willing to pay the price for. The implication in this particular parable is that this is a person with an eye seasoned and skilled, familiar with the inherent value of merchandise, trained to earn a good profit. Merchants are always on the search for that which is profitable.
The merchant represents you, and me, in the sense that all of humanity has been searching for the one thing worth living for.
Let me ask you….. what are you searching for?
For the merchant, it is fine pearls. Interesting, he is not looking for one pearl, but “pearls”. Perhaps he believed it would take many fine pearls for a substantial profit. I do not think he thought only one pearl could be enough. I wonder, are you searching for many things, in many places? What is it that you believe will profit you? I’m asking you, if you are not yet a follower of Christ, what are you searching for? To find satisfaction in life? To find love? To find an answer to the many problems and needs in your life? Can you identify the ache in your heart?
Seems like everyone is searching for something……some days finding something that brings temporary solace, only to feel the need for something more the next day or week.
The merchant found one pearl, one he knew was priceless. How did he know this one was priceless? We may not know what is was that made it priceless, but we have to ask ourselves, what was he willing to exchange for this one pearl? He was willing to sell everything he had to buy it. It was worth more than ALL that he had. The kingdom of heaven is like that. Jesus is telling each of us that His kingdom is worth more than all you have, all I have, all that this world holds. The problem for us is we can see the riches of this world…..riches like money, gold, silver, jewels, houses, cars, vacation homes, traveling the world, power (that comes with either our position or our riches), pleasures of all kind (add your definition, but you get the idea). The things we can’t see are the things that compete with these things……how do you put a value on peace? Contentment? God’s mercy? Forgiveness of sin? Wisdom for living? Joy? True companionship? Love? Loyalty? Truth? Light/Insight? (You get the idea). Because we can’t “see” these things, we settle for what we can see, believing and living as if the riches we can see supersedes what we can’t see. Have you ever known someone who seemed to have it all (the first list) and yet were miserable? Discontent? Depressed? Suicidal? Have you ever known or read of someone who didn’t seem to be anything even close to what the world calls rich, yet possesses a contentment, a peace, a joy in the midst of their “poverty”?
The kingdom of heaven is the answer for both those who are not currently following Jesus and those who are. The kingdom of heaven contains the King of Heaven, who came to this earthly kingdom to reveal to us true riches. The true riches are found in Him, for when you have the King you have the kingdom and vice versa. The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant “in search”. For those who are not following Jesus, you are obviously still on the search. In John 7:38, Jesus says “If anyone is thirsty, he should come to Me and drink….” You have been invited to come to Jesus, who alone satisfies all of our thirst.
The reason God wants us to search is found In Jeremiah 29:13 (NIV): “You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart”. God desires for all your seeking – whatever the nagging reason – to end with the same answer: He, Himself. His heart for you will satisfy you. John 17:3, “and this is the way to have eternal life, to know You, the only true God and Jesus Christ, the One You sent to earth.”
If you are a follower of Jesus, let me encourage you to keep searching, but for a different reason – to uncover more of the riches of knowing Jesus. Our search, as those who do not know or follow Jesus, ends when we find all we are searching for in Christ. But once we come to Christ, it is a different kind of search……..It is a search to know Him more deeply, to follow Him more closely, to walk out the adventure of knowing His will.
In Matthew 7:7 (HCSB), Jesus said, “Keep asking, and it will be given to you. Keep searching, and you will find. Keep knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” One of the reasons we keep searching is that God has more for us, more to reveal to us. The key is to be seeking the true riches, not the world’s definition of riches. We cannot have one foot in heaven and one foot in the world, for that is a recipe for misery. So let me ask you, if you are a follower of Jesus, are you miserable? If so, I encourage you get with God and ask Him to help you seek true riches. He will lead you to the joy of knowing Him.
Let me point you to the Word of God to ponder:
But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided for you. Matthew 6:33
For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Matthew 6:21
All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him. Colossians 2:3
If you are not a follower of Jesus, but want to know Him, let me encourage you to ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Call out to Him, He will hear you!
Let me point you to the book of John in the Bible….read all of it. Read, believe and receive life!
May the blessing of the Lord rest upon you, drawing you into the warmth of His embrace, granting you grace, mercy and the true riches of a life centered in Him!
