The Price of the Priceless Treasure

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." (ESV)

One way to read these two analogies made by Jesus is to suppose that, like these two men, Christians are somehow privy to secret information, which we are to keep from others while we make personal sacrifices to buy our way into God's favor. But nothing could be further from the truth!

It is so easy to live as though my actions will control God's opinion of me, or earn me a place in heaven, or can make me more or less qualified for God's help in this life. People will say, "God helps those who help themselves," and sometimes I live as though it were true! When push comes to shove, I tend to retreat into my own world where my education, intelligence, and physical ability are enough to meet the demands on me. I somehow think that if I am strong enough, I can honor God. Or, more honestly, I think that I am better of bringing myself honor by working harder.

Instead, God has been good to remind me of the example of Paul when he wrote to the church in Philippi (Philippians 3.7-8): "But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." What Paul and the two men Jesus spoke of have in common is that when they saw the incredible value of Christ, they saw everything else they had (money, possessions, ability, self-righteousness) as utterly worthless in comparison! The men did not sell everything they had to earn the great treasures they had found. They sold all they had because it did not matter any more.

God, please kill the pride in me that holds on to "my abilities" as something valuable. Teach me instead to lean only on your grace and on your work that reconciles me to you and makes all other things I have and pursue look as worthless as they truly are!