“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:44-45
Jesus gives another parable about what the kingdom of heaven in like. He gives the illustration of a merchant looking for fine pearls. Once he finds one, he sells everything in order to purchase it.
Getting things of high value is important to a lot of people. Often it is because it is a status symbol. It means a person has made it into the big time if he can afford to own something of high value.
Many men go into extreme debt in order to purchase some sports car or an extremely large house, or some other object that is not practical in any way. It just makes them look and feel good, because they have one.
They will also pay whatever it takes to have good health restored, when their health goes down. They will pay doctors big money to get healthy again.
In order to get that object they will work an extra job, forego getting other needed items, work extra long hours, or go into debt with credit to get the item. They see that item as of such high value that it is worth whatever it takes to get it.
Jesus compared the value of heaven to the value of that object. When a person gets heaven, he also gets eternal life, life with God, perfect health, perfect peace, no more pain, no more suffering, and everything else he will ever need for all eternity. This places heaven as of extremely high value.
Keeping the value of heaven in mind, as a believer, should cause you to want to do what ever it takes in order to obtain it. While salvation is free, it does cost to follow Jesus. You must give up your old way of thinking and acting. You must become a new creation in Jesus. The cost is your entire life.
If you are willing to work long hard hours at a job in order to get something that will not last for eternity, how much more should you work to get something that lasts forever?
Following Jesus and gaining heaven is worth more than you could ever pay on this earth. Be willing to do whatever it takes to get it and keep it.
I pray today that you will know the value of your salvation; that you will strive to give God all of your life; that you will be willing to pay the price to follow Jesus; and that you will know what you have in Jesus.
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