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 the field. – MATTHEW 13:44
CBMC offers a training called Leadership Coach Training (LCT). It is one of the most valuable tools that I have experienced because it is based on teaching you the skills necessary to be able to minister to people the way Jesus ministered to people. He spent time with them. He listened deeply to them, and He asked them powerful questions. Then He let them wrestle with these questions as He modeled for them what the kingdom of God was going to be like. I hope you consider joining us in one of our upcoming LCT trainings.
One of the ways Jesus did this was with His use of parables. A parable is a simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson, and what we have among other things is what I believe to be the greatest source of economic wisdom that has ever been gathered in these collections of Jesus’ teachings. One of my favorite parables just so happens to be the shortest one. It’s only one verse long but full of meaning and purpose. Let’s read it carefully and ask some good questions about it. Jesus says, “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 the field.”
This simple story has a big question that I would invite you to chew on: what do you find so valuable that you’d be willing to sell everything in order to attain it? This story is all about what we value. We place value in all sorts of things, but Jesus is challenging us to ask ourselves the question, “what do you value most?”
He said, “the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.” The kingdom is where the king is – the presence of Jesus. So have you found the hidden treasure? I wonder how many people walked through that field and never saw the treasure? This man did and he was willing to sell everything to get it. Some people may have seen the treasure and kept walking. So my next question is what value do you put on the treasure? Do you place it behind your company, your family, your house, or your car?
Some people read this and get fixated on the fact that this man sold everything to get this treasure and that scares them because they fear God may ask them to do the same. But let me ask you a different question: did the man sell everything he had, or did he gain everything that the world couldn’t offer? This is a matter of perspective and will directly speak to the value you place on the treasure.
Last question, have you purchased the treasure? Jesus said the man did this with joy. The purchase price for the greatest treasure in the world is faith and trust in Jesus Christ. You, too, can gain everything with joy as you recognize the greatest value in the world is to know Jesus Christ and worship Him as King!
Think and pray
Has God been asking you to relinquish anything that you are holding on too tightly to?
Father, help us to value the things that matter to You most and orient our lives in a way that reflects Your kingdom. Amen.
Adrian Savedra serves as Area Director for CBMC in Oklahoma. Having spent his early career as a head college baseball coach, his passion is helping others grow spiritually and apply the precepts of the bible to every area of their lives. He is active in his church and a shepherd to the many men involved with CBMC.
