Lenten Devotional – Day 14

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Today’s Scripture: Matthew 13:36-53 (same scripture as yesterday)

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matt. 13:45-46)

“The spiritual life is a gift. It is a gift of the Holy Spirit, who lifts us up into the kingdom of God's love. But to say that being lifted up into the kingdom of love is a divine gift does not mean that we wait passively until the gift is offered to us.” ― Henri J.M. Nouwen

  A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. In a room of 200, he asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?” Hands started going up.

  He said, “I am going to give this to one of you, but first, let me do this.” He proceeded to crumple the bill up. He then asked, “Who still wants it?” Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, “What if I do this?” He dropped it on the ground, and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?” Still hands went into the air.

  No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it, because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth 20 dollars. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel that we are worthless, but no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value, dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who love you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do, or whom we know, but by who we are.

  Over the years as I have read this parable, I generally thought it referred only to pearls, diamonds or other precious stones which Jesus said had great value and told us about the great value of the kingdom of God. At some point, I did not just see this parable as referring to something materially precious, but about the precious nature of discovering the unique individuals among God’s people who add value to our lives by their mere presence. People of God who are of great value and beauty, which we would invest all we have, in order, to spend more time with them and hang with them for a while.

  I have come to understand that the kingdom of God is most often discovered in the midst of others, within the church, in acts of service, giving care, compassion and concern for others, and discovering people who are precious ones we are glad to spend ever a short time. We too frequently give value to those things with monetary value. Poverty in life is not the lack of money, it is the lack of relationships. We are poor, if we lack nurturing, loving, compassionate, relationships with other children of God.

  When I was in college, I went on a mission trip to Arkansas and during the trip, we all meet a woman named Gertie Temple. She was a simple, poor, Ozark mountain woman in her 70’s who was a person of great faith, spirit, life, and grace, who was a woman you just wanted to stop and hear her stories about her life and faith. She greeted everyone with joy, hospitality and a loving presence. I had find a great pearl and I went home and applied to attend college in the same county where she lived and where we had stayed during our mission trip. I felt there must be others, like, her here and I was not wrong. During my years in college I discovered many others similar to Gertie and my faith and understanding of the kingdom grew.

  To ancient peoples, a pearl was the loveliest thing in the world to possess. Pearls were not possessed chiefly because of their monetary value but their beauty. A joy to contemplate and to admire. The man digging for hidden treasure (from yesterday’s devotion) came upon it unexpectedly. The man in this short parable was searching for the most lively pearl. Once he finds the most beautiful pearl, everything needed to be sold to gain it.

  Over the years, I have had the privilege and honor of meeting and knowing many others who have become pearls in my life. People I met in college and seminary, who remain friends and colleagues. People in churches where I have served as ruling and teaching elder. People in places I have worked. People within the neighborhoods and communities I have lived. Each have contributed something special to my life and helped me grow in faith, love and hope.

  What is valuable in your life? Christians need to reclaim the spiritual meaning of this word, which once had a moral, not monetary or commercial connotation to it. In the kingdom of God we find great value and we are willing to sell everything to possess it. What people in our lives are precious and valuable? Do we spend time to find those individuals in our community who are worth our getting to know, because something precious can be found.

Today’s Lectionary Readings
Morning: Psalms 27; 147:12–20
Evening: Psalms 126; 102
Jeremiah 4:9–10, 19–28
Romans 2:12–24
John 5:19–29