“Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure hidden in the field, which a man found, and hid. In his joy, he goes and sells all that he has, and buys that field.”
What happens after the man buys the field? His friends and family mock him for selling everything, all his worldly ‘treasures’ to buy a seemingly worthless piece of land. Where is this so-called treasure, they may ask. What does it look like? Are you sure it exists? Did you dream it up, imagine it? How foolish of you to sell all you had for something you only hope there is more of. How does the man respond to all these jibes? He may lose honor and status in the world. He may lose the respect of those he loves. Yet he sacrifices these for what he knows and believes he has found, and for the hope of something even better. He struggles through the persecution for the ‘Kingdom of God is at hand’.
Fighting through the tribulations, he spends his days digging up his land to discover more treasure. For the joy he felt when he first discovered the treasure was immeasurable. He toils in the heat, alone, hour after hour looking for the gold. Some days are fruitful, on others he returns empty handed. He cries and agonizes and doubts there is more but the memory of knowing what he found propels him to the next day. And he digs again. The hope of tomorrow, the promise of the riches sustain him.
He finds others who believe him, who similarly gave up everything to find their own treasure. They share with him ideas on where to search, how to dig and even help him plough through. They work with him and rest with him. They rejoice with him. They are the people of God.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.
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