The Pearl of great worth

We all alike walk through this life looking for purpose and meaning. Everyone who is saved has come as merchants in search of good pearls. Finding one of great worth, we use all our savings to buy this pearl called Jesus, and enter into His Kingdom (Mt 13:45-46). Because we see the great worth of the pearl, we make the commitment to purchase it.

Our enemy, satan, spends his time trying to devalue the worth of the pearl. He holds up the world to us, just as he did to Jesus, and says “you can have all this if you bow down and worship me.” (Mt 4:9). There is no end to satan’s glorification of the world to us who have the pearl, for he wants us to feel discontent with what we have.

For those who desire to know the pearl, Jesus, they will see Him as far more valuable than any worldly gain. In valuing the pearl, they become more like Him daily. As their trials increase, they will continue to choose the pearl.
For those who chose the pearl for other reasons, such as acceptance and forgiveness, the worth of the pearl to them may lessen over time. For instance, when the acceptance of other men is presented to them, coupled with worldly gain, their coming trials may not bring them to choose Jesus. If the world and the acceptance of men are of greater value, they will avoid losing these things, even if it means walking a different path, a wider path.

We see that, though men make the same choice in the beginning and purchase the pearl, there are two different paths to walk on. The one chooses to have great worth and lets the hardness of the narrow way form him into the image of the pearl. The other chooses the world, not desiring any hardness, and will not be formed into the image of the pearl of great worth, for he rejected Him. What we value is important and will determine which path we will follow, and in whose image we will be formed. Today, as we examine our life for worth and meaning, let us be found desiring the true worth found in Jesus. Amen.