His

“You sure you want to do this?†the man behind the desk asks me, hoping I will change my mind.

I nod. “Yep. Sure do.â€

The man rubs his temples, clearly agitated. “It’s my duty to tell you this is not a good idea. It’s taken you years to save this much money. If you withdraw all your retirement funds now, you won’t have anything to live on later.â€

I shrug, refusing to budge. “I need the money now. There’s something I want to buy.†I take a list out of my pocket. “I have some other things I need to sell too— perhaps you could help me?â€

His eyes widen as he reads over the list. “Both of your cars, your boat…your house! This is everything you own.†He shakes his head. “I don’t get it. What could you possibly want to buy that requires cashing in every single one of your assets?â€

I take a deep breath. “There’s a piece of land I want to purchase.â€

He stares at me. “A piece of land? What are you planning to do, start a development?â€

“No,†I say. “That’s not why I want it, and I won’t have any money left over to build anything anyway. The owner’s price is very high, and he refuses to take a penny less. But I need that piece of land—I have to have it.â€

The man lets out a deep sigh. He looks pained. “All right. Here goes nothing.†He clicks a button on the computer. “There. All your shares have been sold.†He points to the list. “I can put you in touch with people who can help you sell these other items.â€

“Thank you.†I get up and reach for my coat.

“I have to ask,†the man says. “What’s so special about this piece of land that you’re willing to sell everything you own in order to get it?â€

I smile at him. “There’s treasure on that property—treasure worth more than anything in the world.†I open the door and head out into the sunshine, a spring in my step and joy filling my heart. • Courtney Lasater

• This story (and the verse it’s based on) is a parable. It’s not saying it’s bad to have money or own nice things—in fact, other verses in the Bible emphasize that money is a gift from God and we should save and spend it wisely. This parable is meant to show how money and possessions pale in comparison to the greatest treasure of all—Jesus Himself. He is our life, our righteousness, our hope…and He invites us to become citizens in God’s eternal kingdom and be cleansed of every wrong we’ve ever done. His gift of salvation is free—it costs us nothing because Jesus paid the price for us. He endured a death He didn’t deserve and rose again from the dead, all so that we could be restored to relationship with God. (Check out our “Know Jesus” page.)

• Did the man in Matthew 13:44 or the character in today’s story strike you as odd? Why?

• Read Mark 10:17-22. How did the rich young ruler’s response to meeting Jesus differ from the man in the parable’s response to finding treasure?

• According to Philippians 3:17-21, what mindset should we have toward the things of this world as citizens of God’s heavenly kingdom?

• Have you ever noticed yourself putting more importance on a worldly possession than on Jesus and His kingdom? Take a moment to talk to God about it, and ask Him to show you how great the eternal treasure of knowing Him really is! (Check out Ephesians 2:7.)

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. Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

Read Verses:

Genesis 29:16-35; Isaiah 43:4