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Last week, I talked about our treasure, the things that matter to us, and how Jesus made it clear that we should pursue the kingdom of heaven. He gave this example:
“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 13:45,46)
When I wrote about that, I kept thinking about this merchant…
Imagine what it would’ve been like if most people were not able to distinguish the value of that pearl. They would’ve thought that this man was crazy. They probably would’ve thought “He sold everything he owned in exchange for a shiny little ball? That can’t be right! This guy is insane!”
Only the people who were able to identify the real value of that pearl, how precious and unique it was, they were the only ones who were able to understand what he did.
That’s the same with us when we are following God’s will and pursuing the kingdom of heaven as Jesus instructed us to do with that parable.
Most people don’t understand it because they don’t value the kingdom of heaven as much as we do. So they think we’re crazy because they measure the value of things differently.
What we do with our material possessions, when we follow God’s will, also seems weird to them. Have you ever been mocked because you give your offerings and your tithe to the church?
As christians, we can’t let the world tell us how we should measure the value of things or what are the important things in our life.
Maybe people think you’re weird or that you don’t make sense to them. Maybe it seems that you have to explain something you’re doing by following God’s will because no one understands it.
So don’t feel bad if people mock you or mistreat you because of the things you do for the Lord.
“Blessed are you when people hate you,
when they exclude you and insult you
and reject your name as evil,
because of the Son of Man.Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.” (Luke 6:22,23)
Don’t fell bad about it. They can’t understand it because they don’t see the value of the pearls.