What would you give?

Imagine you happen on a treasure beyond imagination.  

No one had found it before, but there it is...yours for the taking...but it's hidden in the field of another.  

You contact the owner and ask if you might buy his field.  At first he's hesitant, but you persist.  The treasure pushing you on as you think about the riches that could be yours.

Finally the owner agrees to sell it but the price is far more than you imagined, far more than the field is worth!  

It would take all you own to pay the price! You take some time and add up your assets.  Sell the house, the car, the TV, all the furniture, sell everything and you will have just enough to buy it.  

Would you do it?  Would you give all you own for a treasure beyond imagination?

Of course you would!  

None of us would hesitate for a moment when given this offer. Where do I sign?  When can I take possession?  All our things, all we own would seem nothing compared to the treasure hidden in that field.  

That's the story Jesus told about another treasure. A treasure more valuable that all the wealth men can accumulate, a treasure more valuable than all we own!  Here are his words,

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field."

A treasure more valuable that all you own.  Jesus says the Kingdom of Heaven is that treasure.  A treasure worth a thousand fortunes, a treasure worth all you possess.  A treasure that should excite you to give everything to get it.  

I fear, the way we live, most of us have yet to discover the treasure, we have yet to feel that sense of excitement that comes when we willingly give all we possess to get it.  

Sadly we treat the treasures of this world as more valuable than the treasures of the Kingdom.  It seems our value system is all messed up!  We pursue the gold, the girls and the goodies and miss the real treasure.

What Jesus described was a man on a mission- I must have that treasure, whatever it costs, I must make it mine.  

As I write this I realize that often my own attention is captured by the trinkets of the world and I miss the treasure of the Kingdom. 

Like the little girl clinging to her glass beads when her father wants to give her pearls I cling to the shinny things and often miss the true treasure.

What would you give to possess the most valuable treasure in all the world?  Would you give everything you possess and do it gladly?  Would you be excited to give it all up to have that hidden treasure?

What would you give?