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. - Matthew 13:45-46 (ESV) Every electric guitar enthusiast knows about and dreams of one day coming into ownership of one very specific instrument - the famous 1959 Gibson Les Paul in a cherry sunburst finish. Early Les Paul guitars were known for their meticulous and made-in-USA hand-crafted construction, gorgeous finish, immaculate neck- and fret-work, and amazing sound. The relative rarity of these instruments, as well as the legendary status they have gained over the years through use on some of the largest stages in music performance history, have made these into highly sought-after collector's items. A well-kept model can easily bring hundreds of thousands of dollars at auction, pushing one million for models owned by famous artists. So imagine, if you will, an enthusiast stumbling upon one of these 1959 Les Paul guitars while casually browsing an estate sale, and being offered the antique instrument for "only" a few thousand dollars - would he not immediately do whatever is necessary to scrape up the funds necessary to purchase it that very day?
Scenarios such as this one are what many hobbyists dream of - art aficionados may dream of discovering a previously-unknown original Picasso, or a car gear-head may dream of finding a Ferrari 250 GTO covered up in an old barn. Regardless, when something of significant and life-altering value is found, a person will go to his absolute limits to own it. "Indeed," the apostle Paul writes, "I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I might gain Christ and be found in Him." (Phil. 3:8-9a) Infinitely more than any material possession, a life spent knowing Christ and being known by Him is of incredible, exceptional, and all-surpassing value. In the culture of materialism that our society has created, many see their presumed walk with Christ as a means to fill some need or want in their lives. It's a cultural "Christianity" espoused by millionaire television personalities, "spiritual" self-help authors, and successful musicians - follow after God, they might say, and He will bless you with everyone you could ever need or want. They might quote Jeremiah 29:11 as a promise of financial prosperity, or use Proverbs 22:6 as irrefutable proof that good parenting will result in righteous living by their children, or twist Philippians 4:13 into an assurance that God will bless every business and employment endeavor. The problem with this kind of thinking is not that God is unable to bless those who love Him financially, or with good health, or with a strong family. He most certainly is. But we are not guaranteed such luxuries, nor are we owed them by our Heavenly Father. "Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves... They will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues," Jesus said. (Matt. 10:16a,17b ESV). God spoke to Paul in his chains, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2. Cor. 12:9b ESV) Paul responds, "For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2. Cor. 12:10 ESV) Moreover, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness," Jesus said, "For theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matt. 5:10 ESV) Could it be that this very same kingdom of heaven, one which seeking may result in "weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities," is the same one characterized as a pearl that a merchant would sell all his possessions to afford? Absolutely - but it is because the kingdom of God is so worth everything that we can give for it, that living in and serving it is infinitely more satisfactory and fulfilling than anything else the world can offer, persecution or not. God may very well choose to bless us financially, or with health, or with fame, or with any other material blessing. He also may not. Regardless, we should "count everything as loss" in lieu of the value of serving the kingdom of heaven - because this pearl is not one we take hold of and then turn around and sell to make a small fortune, or to show off to receive praise from others, or to lock away as future financial security. No, it's a pearl we share, so eagerly, in fact, that we are willing to endure any hardship necessary in order to do so. We know that it is more than enough that God saved our souls from hell, and how much more that He chooses to have a relationship with us! Who cares about fleeting pleasures and petty luxuries in our short lives? We should only find our pleasure in seeking and serving His kingdom - it is truly, entirely, and wholly worth it.
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Clifton J. Gardner lives in Birmingham, Alabama with his wife, Courtney. He is a Registered Nurse, musician, and writer, as well as an active member of Ezra Baptist Church in Oak Grove, Alabama. Archives
January 2017
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