Passions and Pearls

I've been thinking about our passions lately. Now most would immediately think about physical passions when the word passion comes to mind, but that's not what I'm referring to here at all. When I speak of passions I'm speaking of those things that drive us and give our lives purpose. It's a passion for health that will make one person diet and workout to create that perfect body. It's a passion for success that will drive another to work long hours to climb the corporate ladder and find wealth.
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Passions often direct a whole host of decisions. If you know what a man will die for you will know what his passions are and what he's really living for. But I find that we are in a time and culture when few have a passion for anything. Few will invest their lives for a noble cause, for a goal beyond this life. Jesus told a very short parable that describes passions. In his series of parables in Matthew he said this,
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Mat 13:45-46 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking fine pearls, and upon finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
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Here is a man who found something that changed his life. He found one pearl worth everything. It was of such value to him that he sold EVERYTHING to buy it. Do you realize what a passion this one pearl created in this man? He literally changed his life to possess this pearl. He gave up everything to own this prize. Now that's passion!
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I've been thinking about this parable and another man's passion I will mention in a moment. I've been thinking about it because I don't see passion of this kind in my world anymore. I don't see men or women so passioned by something that they will give everything to own it. But there is one man who modeled this. There is one man who voiced this same passion and lived it out. Here are his words,
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Php 3:7-8 But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ,
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His name was Paul. His passion changed the Gentile world of the first century as he shared his faith in Christ and his passion to know Christ with everyone he met. His passion was to know Christ. He pursued it with such zeal that he literally exchanged everything he had to get this one great pearl- a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. His passion changed the world.
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So all of this has been swirling around in my head for days now and I wonder.....what am I passionate about? What will I give everything to have? Does anyone know what I'm passionate about?
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I know what pearl I have given it all to purchase, but do those around me know? I have literally passed up millions of dollars in business to follow Christ and don't regret it at all. I have that great pearl worth it all.
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So the discussion today is what are you passionate about? What pearl will you "sell it all" to own? Do you even know what your passion is? Just a few thoughts from another man who wants to know Christ.