What do you dream about when your mind has time to wander? Do you think about driving a newer car or living in a bigger home? Maybe you have a special hobby or a favorite television show that has grabbed your attention lately?

We all have things that capture our hearts from time to time, and while many of these things are good gifts from God, our hearts can be distracted by items that are only temporary and have little true benefit in our lives.

Jesus’ parable of the hidden treasure is a great reminder that His kingdom is the gravitational center of the Christian life. Let’s pick up Jesus’ story in Matthew 13 as our Lord shared the following story:

“Again, the kingdom of heaven 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.”

This passage is one of my favorites in all the New Testament. It’s just one sentence long, and we don’t get many details. Maybe the man was just walking along, or maybe he was specifically looking for a field to purchase. All we know is that he was walking in a field when he found something valuable there. Maybe he found gold and jewels—a buried box with long-lost treasures.

So what does he do next? He covers the treasure back up, and he immediately goes home and sells everything that belongs to him. Maybe that included his home where he was raising his kids. Maybe it included his donkey or his lambs. Maybe it included whatever means he had of making money, such as a field or a plow or tools. All we know is that he sold everything.

But we never feel sorry for this man in the story who lost all he had because of his sacrifice. Why? Because the treasure in the field was worth so much more than all these things combined. It was an easy trade.

Jesus uses this story to tell us that the kingdom of Heaven—God’s rule over our hearts and the redemption of the world—is like this treasure. Though we might give everything we have in pursuit of Christ, it is a worthy investment. We could never give up so much that the cost is too high. This treasure of knowing Jesus is worth any expense.

And so when you find your mind distracted and your heart pulled towards the temporary things of the world, remember to keep them in proper balance. We’ll always find hobbies and possessions that grab our attention, but we can’t let them rule our hearts. Above all of these little joys and conveniences is God’s kingdom—His rescue mission of mankind and His rule in this world.

Today, may we find our hearts pulled strongly toward this great treasure. Because in the words of Jesus:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21

Blessings,