“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Matthew 13:44

Dear Reader,

What a profound statement from Christ! In just one short sentence, He proclaimed many deep truths to us about the kingdom of Heaven. Come, let us see.

He is speaking of the “kingdom of heaven”. He taught his disciples about life after death and its direct connection with this present life we now live. Most everyone, with the exception of a very few subverted souls, would say they want to go to Heaven when they die. Religious or not, what human would pick eternal suffering over eternal bliss? Therefore, Christ’s short parable has paramount importance for anyone who wants to go to Heaven when their life on earth ends.

He said, “the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field.” Do many people find treasure? Do most have great riches? No. Likewise, this eternal kingdom is hidden from the masses, and only a few find it.

Dearest reader, have you believed a lie? Have you believed that most people go to Heaven? Open your heart and keep reading.

Then He said, “the which when a man hath found.” Does a man find something he is not searching for? Rarely.

Casual Seeking

A county fair comes to a town for a week and has a large amount of people come. At the end of the week, the rides pack up, the animals load in their trailers, and everyone leaves. When the dust settles, there is an open field and scattered trash. Walking through the field for exercise, a non-seeking man may find a quarter on the ground that someone dropped. He smiles, tosses it with the other change in his truck, and drives away. But it is the seeking man with the metal detector who finds the lost 1.5 ct diamond ring of great value. He carefully wraps it in a cloth and holds onto it the whole way home.

Which man found something greatly valuable? The one who was searching for it. So it is with the kingdom of Heaven. Don’t expect to live a life of sin and vanity, to then stumble upon the kingdom of Heaven in your dying day. You need a map, a compass, and passion to find the buried treasure.

Back to our example. Then Jesus said, “he hideth.” Did the man who found the quarter wrap it in a cloth and hold it all the way home? No, he tossed it with the rest of the coins. See the carefulness of the man who found the precious stone!

Likewise, it is common for people to claim to have found God and the kingdom of Heaven. Yet, they treat this eternal kingdom more like a common quarter than a costly stone. Dearest reader, have you tossed God’s eternal kingdom into a cup filled with other joys of similar value? Have you placed Heaven in the same cup as the Super Bowl, your new promotion, or SXSW? If so, examine your ways. It could be that your lack of carefulness indicates your lack truly finding.

Finally he said, “and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field.” Reader, was your learning of the kingdom of Heaven so significant that it produced great joy? Such joy that placed all other joys in life in a completely lesser category? Does the kingdom of Heaven all-consume you as the prize that your eyes are set on daily?

Did your Bible reading begin to crowd out your hobbies like sports or painting? Did you begin to see that your old influences hindered you as you walked the narrow road toward Christ’s kingdom? Did you start seeing how the music you were listening to would not be acceptable in the kingdom of God?

Reader, your heart may cry out, “Wait! That is intense! That is religious fanaticism! That can’t be necessary to obtain the prize of Heaven!” Quiet your heart and think logically.

We praise Olympians once every four years for their two minutes of fame when they compete. The truth is that they train for countless hours every day, eat the strictest diet, and maintain the firmest schedule. They become obsessed with that prize of gold that is four years away. And they sacrifice all to win it. And we praise them for it. If they seek an earthly crown with such care and passion, do they shame those casual seekers of the greatest eternal prize? Yea, I tell you, with much shame.

May the Kingdom of Heaven be exalted in your mind and in your heart.