The Pearl of Great Price

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it [Matthew 13:45-46].

When I read the parable that we call “The Pearl of Great Price,” I’m often carried back many years to a Christmas when our four children—three of whom now have children of their own—were young. One Saturday in early December, I asked if they’d like to help me search for a gift for their Mom. They squealed with delight. Anna, our oldest, said “The gift has to be really special, because Mom is so special.” We all agreed.

I suggested we find her some new earrings. We went first to one store, then another, then to a third; nothing struck our fancy. When the kids saw what was being offered to us, one or more of them would indicate that the earrings were pretty, but they just weren’t “special” enough for Mom.

I told them I knew of another Durham store where most of the jewelry was made by hand by one of the store’s owners. Perhaps we’d find something there. When the jeweler showed us the fancy display case, Anna’s eyes lit up. “Look at those,” she said in awe, pointing to a simple, but beautifully-crafted pair of small, gold flowers, fashioned as earrings.

Walker blurted out, “There’s our gift. It’s so much like Mom.”

Anna then said, “Oooh, but I’m sure they’re too expensive.”

I’d gazed at the price tag and already knew that the earrings were “pricey.” I said something like, “Yes, these handmade items do cost quite a bit. What do you guys think?”

Blair, who was perhaps about seven years old at the time, said, “I’ve saved $8; you can use it all.”

The others made mental calculations of their own. Gray, who was barely two, didn’t, of course, enter into our Christmas calculus. Between the three older kids, they had $26. While it was less than 10% of the earrings’ cost, it was all they had, and they freely gave it up. That Christmas, the kids’ special Mom—my beloved wife—received a very special gift.

When we think of Christ’s second coming, can we feel the surprise when we realize that Christ Himself has been searching for the “high-valued” pearl. He’s looked high and low. He has peered into dark corners. He has also searched throughout the broad expanse of the sunlit landscapes. He’s searching! There is no place or time within which He will not look for the pearl. And then he gazes at you and tells you something wonderful. In you, He has found it. Christ doesn’t carry money. Instead, he gives up all that He has—His very life—to secure you, for you are His great-valued pearl.

Closing Prayer

Draw near to us, O God. Draw near because we don’t have the will or the way to make the trek to you on our own. Help us to understand that during this Advent, we have been waiting not just for a Bethlehem baby, but for the fullness that can only be known when you live within us. Give us a real sense of expectancy. Grant us the power to resist the frenetic pace around us. Make us aware of the cost you were willing to bear in living and dying among us in order that we might be yours forever. Amen.

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