Pearls and Treasure

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field...Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls.When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." Matthew 13:44-46

My whole life I thought this passage meant that my relationship with God, or the Kingdom of God was like the fine pearl, or a treasure hidden in a field. And that I had to sacrifice everything and prove to God that I wanted and desired a relationship with Him more than anything else.

It's true that this passage is about sacrifice, but maybe I got it wrong who needs to make the sacrifice. Or who the sacrifice is meant to emphasize.

I read this passage now and I realize that maybe we are the fine pearls, maybe we, the children of God, represent the treasure hidden in a field. We take our talents, our time, our resources, and lots of times we lose ourselves in unhealthy relationships, unfulfilled jobs, and our selfish desires. We hide ourselves from God in our sin, brokenness, and shame. But through it all, even though we are hidden in the field of life, we are still treasure. And rather than reading this passage of Scripture as God saying that we need to desire Him more than anything, maybe we should see it as God wanting and desiring a relationship with us more than anything else. And
that He's willing to do whatever it takes to have that relationship.

Since the Garden of Eden, our natural inclination has been to run away from God or hide when we struggle with sin or when we are ashamed. Genesis 3:8 says that Adam and Eve, "hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden" We too hide from God in our own "garden". But God's first question to mankind, is the same question he poses to us now. A simple "Where are you?"

Let God ask you that question. Where are you? And don't hear it as judgemental dad asking you because He's waiting for you to mess up and want to condemn you. Hear that question from a father that wants to know where his treasure is.

You may look at yourself and see your failures, shortcomings, mistakes, flaws, and imperfections, but God sees treasure, He sees pearls, and no matter how far we try to run or deep we try to hide He'll never lose the sight of His treasure. But while others won't take the time or energy to really search for a hidden treasure, God does and will. It's a whole lot easier to sacrifice everything for someone who has sacrificed it all for us.

Remember, behind all those imperfections and flaws lies a treasure that God will never loose sight of, and never stop searching for. He's placed a treasure inside all of us. There's nobody like you! Give the gift of yourself.