What Are You Willing to Pay?
Thanks for checking out the blog format of One Hundred-Fold Ministries – it is called Backyard Conversations. Let’s sip a lemonade, have a seat in one of our lawn chairs and have a chat about the things that matter most!
Like finding eternal life and an eternal purpose as well!
Much of the conversation in Evangelicalism seems to revolve around securing eternal life. And I get it, eternal life is no small deal. And it is not just living forever that is on the plate,
but an eternal life in Heaven where things are eternally good. No one is interested in an eternal life where things are bad.
But in the here and now, people are talking about how having a meaningful life is a high value. Money is great of course, but the Beatles told us that money can’t buy me love. No, we are looking for more. Much, much more! Finding true love, enjoying beauty, discovering truth, participating in goodness – philosophers call these the “Transcendentals.” These are the things that transcend our cultures and histories, our genders and our age differences. These are the qualities and pursuits that transform mere eternal life into the abundant life that Jesus promised (John 10:10b).
These days, our young GenZers have been known to pass up more lucrative jobs for employment that is enjoyable and meaningful, even if it pays less. Most of us not only want to provide for our families, but we also want to enjoy joyful and purposeful lives. Lives that matter.
In a nutshell, WE WANT MORE MEANING IN LIFE!
What if everything we ever wanted in life was just around the corner? What if you found the so-called fountain of youth? What is your price? What are you willing to pay in order to have the best of all possible lives? Not just eternally young but an eternally meaningful life?
When Jesus was teaching about the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven as the writer Matthew likes to call it), He often told stories that captured our imagination and also made us ask questions about our lives. Take for instance these two powerful parables that challenge our assumptions about what is ultimately important in life and then questions our own willingness to sacrifice the temporary to attain what can never be lost . . .
Matthew 13:44-46
The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl
44 “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.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
The distinguishing characteristics of the heroes in each of these stories is their reckless determination to get their wishes for . . . MORE . . . satisfied once and for all! I feel like the moral of this story is “Don’t settle for temporary when the eternal is there for the asking!”
“Don’t settle for temporary when eternal is there for the asking!”
For our conversation today we are asked to think beyond mere eternal life. The claiming of the Pearl of Great Price and the pursuit of Treasure of Surpassing Value is a word picture. Jesus is painting a picture in story form of the desires of the human heart. Jesus is pushing back on our assumptions. Jesus is asking, “Are you looking for earthly pleasure and temporary answers when the promise of purpose, beauty, wisdom, love, and truth are being offered just up ahead?”
But these transcendentals come with a cost. Jesus said so.
Matthew 22:36-37
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."
What is your cost? Are you willing to pay everything to have everything you ever wanted? For everything you were made for? Not just Eternal Life, but also Eternal Peace and Eternal Hope and Eternal Joy and Eternal Wonder and Eternal Goodness and Eternal Truth . . .
I could go on and on! Will you?
Let’s carry on this conversation at Dave@100foldministries.org.
I’d love to chat some more!
