Treasure

Sometimes, someone will try to explain something to you in simple terms, and it makes the whole thing more confusing.

“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. "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. "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. "Have you understood all this?" They answered, "Yes." And he said to them, "Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old." - Matt. 13:44-52

Every time Jesus tells his apostles something, they don't understand. And we say, come on, we get it.

Then you have this explanation of the Kingdom of Heaven with a treasure in the field, a pearl, and fish in a net, and they get it!

What?

What do they get? The image that stays in my mind, is the furnace and gnashing of teeth. I get that. 

If I am evil, I get the furnace. Got it. Don't be evil.

You don't have to tell me twice. But now, explain the pear and the treasure.

I watched a short film recently where a man sees a field and finds a treasure chest sticking out of the ground. So, he goes to the neighbor who happens to own the field and he asks if he can buy it.

How much?

The guy tells him to offer what he feels it is worth and if he likes the number, it's his.

So, the man goes home, gets his family, who thinks he is crazy, and brings them to the field.

When they look into the chest, their eyes light up. We don't get to see what it is they see.

They go and sell everything and come back to the man with their offer. He accepts it.

The man tells him that he found the chest in the field and the owner says that he knows, because he put it there.

So, does that make this story understandable?

Maybe it is like this. God puts treasures in our lives and we have to find them, realize how valuable they are, and focus on them above all else.

Does that make sense?

More to come...