why pearls?

The other day I was talking with a family member about the hard stuff in life and about how lessons in life are often pearls that are produced from our pain.

Our conversation immediately reminded of a story about a pearl of great worth. It was worth someone's everything to buy this one pearl. Can you imagine? One pearl so valuable you would give up everything you possess just to have this one thing.

I love pearls. We all know that a tiny grain of sand causes a little critter lots of pain but the result is a pearl. When I think about the pearl of great worth I know that it was created through unimaginable pain. It cost everything... so it costs our everything if we want to posses it.

Jesus says this is what His Kingdom is like. Do we believe it? If we saw someone selling everything they own to buy a precious pearl we would probably stop them and say 'you're crazy!' And yet, the person buying the pearl knows that they wouldn't do it if the pearl wasn't worth it. That person has studied pearls and searched all his life for one worth everything.

And that is what I have discovered. The Kingdom of God is worth everything I possess just to pursue the One Thing. So that's it. I've give up everything to go after the One Thing. Some say I'm crazy... I know the Kingdom is worth it!

In this current season of life I am in a place where pain is all around me... and yet there are pearls to be harvested from every situation. Things to grow and learn from. Things that I'm hiding in my heart and trying to figure out. And while I'm in the process I kinda felt like I should let others know what I'm thinking.

So here you go. It doesn't matter if I'm the only person who reads these because they're my thoughts and I like them, but I felt like sharing them with you.

Feel free to write back, comment, etc. I'd love to know what you think about what I think and hear any pearls you have.