What the Hidden Treasure Teaches Us About Joy
What we treasure tends to find its way into our calendar, our conversations, and our choices. Jesus invites us to consider a treasure great enough to reorder all of them.
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.
(Matthew 13:44, NIV, excerpt)
In Matthew 13, Jesus compared the kingdom of heaven to treasure found in a field. The finder joyfully sold what he had to obtain it. He also spoke of a merchant who found a pearl of great value and gave everything to acquire it. These brief parables show the surpassing worth of God’s kingdom and the wholehearted response it calls forth.
Give your attention to what is worth loving
The joy in the first parable is easy to miss if we only notice what the man sold. He had found something he recognized as wonderfully valuable. Jesus teaches us to see God’s kingdom with that kind of clarity.
Ask yourself what has been receiving the best of your attention lately. Then make a little room to read a Gospel, worship with your church, or follow through on an act of obedience you have delayed.
As you spend time with Jesus in Scripture, notice His character, His authority, and His grace. Pray for a heart that increasingly delights in Him.
A wholehearted life grows as we learn what is truly worth our love. Christ is worthy of the attention, loyalty, and joy we bring to following Him.
A prayer
Jesus, open our eyes to the worth of Your kingdom. Reorder our loves, deepen our joy in You, and help us follow with willing, wholehearted faith. Amen.
Read Matthew 13:44-46 in the NIV.
Keep reading: What Is the Gospel? · How to Read a Bible Verse in Context.
Free artwork for you
The kingdom of heaven is worth giving our whole hearts to.
Open the full-size artwork to save or print · Save this artwork on Pinterest