You have probably heard many teachings on this great passage. It is referring to how valuable the Kingdom of God is and how we should be willing to give up everything for the sake of pursuing the wisdom of God. That is not the viewpoint I desire to take at this time. Instead, I want to approach this from a different perspective.
I would like you to consider for a moment that the man looking for treasure or fine pearls can represent God (or more specifically, Jesus).
God knew from before the time that the world was created that the enemy would tempt the first man and woman to sin and that he would succeed. His plan had already been prepared. There would be an appointed time for God to send His Son to rescue humanity from the clutches of the enemy.
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life." John 3:16.
The word "so" in this verse means that there is no more. There is no more love He could show beyond giving His Son to die in our place so that we could live. This is extreme love.
Jesus also has this love in Himself. We read in Philippians 2:6-8, "...who, although he existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking on the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
Now, as we look back to the passage from Matthew, with the verses from John and Philippians in mind, we can see the picture of God, the Father and the Son looking at the "pearl" of great value to Him. I want to encourage you to see that YOU are a pearl of great value and worth to God. The value of something is determined by how much someone is willing to pay for it.
You may be thinking, "Well that's okay for my friend or family member, but I'm not worthy; I've messed up too badly; I'm filthy; I'm too broken", and on and on I could go, but I believe you get the idea. All of us were enemies of God. In fact, Romans 5:10, in the New Century Version of the Bible, states: "While we were God's enemies, He made friends with us through the death of His Son. Surely, now that we are His friends, He will save us through His Son's life." This is an incredibly wonderful verse. He died while we were still hating Him. Dying for a friend shows great love, but how many of us would die for an enemy? Not many!
I know it's difficult to think of God loving you, specifically, when you read words that are all inclusive like the "world" in Jn. 3. Truthfully, if you were the only one that needed Christ to die for you, He would have come and done everything He did for the masses, just for you! I am praying for you to hear what the heart of God is saying to you. You are HIS Pearl of Great Price. He saw YOU, when as yet you weren't even born.
Then, He placed so much value on you that He left heaven which means He chose to leave all He had ever known and experienced and a truly perfect world, to come here to be humbled and mistreated in every way imaginable to "buy you back" -that's what redemption means-from the enemy. He paid the price that you could never pay to present you to His Father as perfect, blameless and HIGHLY valuable. And, true to His Nature, He paid above and beyond!! He wants you for His very own. He considers everything He paid for you worth it. He loves you so much that He has done everything so that nothing could ever separate you from His love (Romans 8:39).
His desire is that you see the value that He has placed on you. No one can love themselves or any other if they don't see the value. To walk in love for others requires you to truly love, value, and respect yourself. Note that I'm not talking about rudeness or haughtiness. Rather, it's the true worth and value God has given you. You are truly free when you embrace that and allow others to be how God created them to be. When you know that the Creator of the Universe loves you perfectly and accepts you AS YOU ARE, how can you not treat others from that same perspective? This is why it is so important.
Know that you are truly worth everything, and loved dearly by God.
Then recognize that God loves everyone with that same love and value. The outcome will be a deeper relationship with God. Worship and gratitude will begin to flow from your heart. You will experience a new-found freedom to be all that God created you to be; truly free to just enjoy God.
