Read
Matthew 13:44(NIV)
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Reflect
Standing in line outside the grocery store I started to count how many people were still in front of me. It was a rather cold day and windy, so people stood with their backs to the wind and there was no talking. It struck me that I was looking at people like they were just numbers and I was pretty sure that I was just a number to someone in line behind me.

When I read today’s verse, I remembered that day and saw the contrast of how I saw people on that day and how God sees me.  The history behind Jesus’ parable came from the history of Israel. The Israelites had a history of being conquered and plundered by their surrounding countries. When war broke out it is believed that farmers took their valuables, wrapped them up and hid them in one of their fields. Unfortunately, many of those farm families were swept away by the oncoming army. That left their treasure buried in the field only to be discovered by someone later in time. Perhaps as a new farmer plowed the field or was digging in the field for some other reason.

That was the backdrop to Jesus’ parable. Jesus said, “He hid it (the treasure) again, and then in his joy went and sold everything he had and bought the field.”  So, what is the value of the kingdom of God? To the one who finds it, says Jesus, it is worth more than everything else he or she owns.

Another way to look at this is that the kingdom of heaven’s value is your life, paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus.  Jesus came to find the lost sheep of this world and having found us, having found you, Jesus gave everything so he could have us as his own! You are not just a number you are a child of God.

Pray
Thank you Lord Jesus for seeing me as one of your followers and not just a number. Amen.