“The Kingdom…….is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Matthew 13:44
Selling all we have has been taken literal and many men have done just that. There is a selling of possessions that Jesus refers to that may be more difficult than the disposing of our natural goods. It is a supernatural work of the grace of God to allow us to apprehend the Kingdom of God. We then choose whether or not we place enough value on it to sell everything and buy that field called the kingdom. Our possessions may well include our time tested reputation. It will include our finances, our livelihood, our wife and children. Nothing, including our well disciplined lifestyle will escape the auction block. Once we finally reach a pinnacle of having our life the way we want it, where our faith journey is going well, our future secured……the selling of everything to enter the Kingdom……well, it replaces us as the managers of our own lives. We no longer care if we lose everything since are not not our own. We never were we just didn’t realize it, and no longer have the luxury of doing it our way. Our Father becomes a Father. Jesus becomes our leader whom we follow. The Holy Spirit becomes our Source of life and the One who will guide us into all Truth which is Jesus himself.
Jesus told the rich young ruler that the one thing he lacked was the inability to sell everything to follow Him. If the Lord tells us to literally sell everything then that is what we must do. He will never require that of us if there was not a much greater opportunity and destiny in exchange. It is difficult to put into words since the scripture says it the best, but the greatest freedom we will ever experience in our inner man is when we sell everything and follow Him. The Holy Spirit becomes something we need to trust in though it can be the scariest place we have ever found ourself in. We have been taught that to do so is deceiving since there are many false misleading spirits in the world. The reason the false exists is because there is a real. We have been taught that the Spirit will never direct us contrary to the scriptures. That is true. However, when I met the woman who was to be my wife it was a direct word from the Lord and I knew the Holy Spirit was opening a door for me. The only problem was it was not in the scripture. How do I really know since I can’t just go by my feelings. Once we sell everything for Kingdom treasure we position ourselves to get it right. His Spirit bears witness with our spirit….this is challenging for the analytical religious mind. Our life will bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit we say is leading and guiding us. The reason religion in all its dead forms exists is because the person has not sold all that he has. Many of us sell some and keep some for ourselves. We then live as if we have sold everything. That’s even worse.
Jesus said seek first the kingdom and his righteousness……the treasure therein far outweighs the pain of being misunderstood by others. It surpasses the need to fit in or the need to stay keep our distance. We no longer have to have a safe place in order to function or to feel accepted. The treasure has escaped multitudes in their search for the meaning of life. It is found in one place only. It begins and ends with Jesus. He is the Treasure. The Pearl of great price. He is worthy of our ‘for sale’ signs. He blesses us to the point of uncontainable riches both natural and spiritual hoping we’ll turn it into cash to buy the field. It is for joy. That’s what Matthew 13:44 says. We forget that the journey is not really about us and all the loss we suffer. To sell all and buy the field of Treasure is for joy, not just more possession, but joy over the treasure. May the joy that was set before Him when he endured the cross be your joy, today, right now.