Selling Out for the Kingdom

Scripture: The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44

Observation: In this parable and the subsequent one, Jesus is very plain in his metaphor. When a person truly discovers the kingdom of heaven - and discovers its great value to their life - that person sells everything else in order to possess the kingdom. In this example about the field, it is not even the treasure itself that the person buys, but rather the field. The important point is that he sold everything else to buy the field.

Jesus is clear that we are to give up our other worldly goods in order to be part of the kingdom of heaven. We do this joyfully, because we know that the kingdom is actually of greater value than everything of the world. We are getting the better end of the bargain when we sell everything we have, and buy just the one thing that is the treasure of the kingdom.

Application: I wonder if I have kept anything of my old life that prevents me from fully owning the kingdom of heaven. I still hold onto some past memories and hopes that have evolved into a fantasy life that never existed, and that reflects the ways of the world and not God. However, I have left behind my life and lifestyle from circa 1992 and before.

I have followed the Lord into a life of family, peace, and even cats ... a life so much better than I dared hope for back then. I gave up hopelessness and emptiness and artificial living. I bought a family and joy.

The last thing I need to sell is any and every thought about worldly treasures that may or may not even have existed, but are shiny distractions anyway from the true treasure of heaven. I need to set my sights and my thoughts on only the treasure of Jesus Christ, which is no longer hidden from me, but in fact I own the field where it resides and have it now in my hands.

Prayer: Lord, please give me your spirit and spiritual protection from the thoughts that distract me from your kingdom. I desire to set my mind on things above, and to meditate on your word only, day and night. May I release the last bit of anything from my previous life so I may fully own the hidden treasure of the kingdom. Amen.