Variety: Matthew 13v45–46
45 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. (Matthew 13:45–46)
Destination X is the latest competitive reality show to pit strangers against each other in a game of truth and misinformation – all to win a ‘life-transforming’ prize of £100,000.
Placed on a bus with blacked-out windows, the contestants are fed a series of clues to guess their current location. The worst guesser gets evicted and contestants are quickly whittled down. As they make and break alliances, suspicions grow. Truth becomes hard to discern. Misinformation comes from both the game itself and other contestants, and ‘It’s just a game’ becomes the excuse for seeking advantage at any cost.
The promise of a prize that will transform our life is such a pull. We all feel it at times, telling ourselves, ‘If only I had a little more – a little more money, a little more love, a little more influence. If only I had what they have, then I’d be happy’. It can be healthy, driving us to make future-focused decisions, work hard, and stretch towards a goal. It can help us build profitable businesses, create better cultures, and make new friendships. It can also lead us to an unhealthy jealousy, to being focused on what we want rather than what we have.
Paul, writing to the Philippians from prison, says, ‘I have learned to be content with whatever I have’ (Philippians 4:11). He recognises that, like the pearl of great price in Matthew 13:45–46, he has found the only truly life-transforming treasure: Jesus. Not only is Jesus the greatest prize, beyond our wildest dreaming, he is also the Truth (John 14:6). We don’t need to fear that he’s leading us the wrong way, throwing us false clues, or deliberately leaving us out in the cold. Rather, he welcomes us in and invites us to share the prize he has won for us.
Knowing we already have the greatest treasure frees us to use our desire for gain to build things that are good and generous, avoid anxious selfishness, and use our resources to bless others. This means we’ll be good employers or employees, generous hosts or neighbours. We’ll be people who speak truth and hope into a culture of uncertainty and fear, with our friends, spouses, kids and colleagues.
Wherever we are today, we get to point people to Jesus, the truly life-transforming prize.
Jo Trickey , London Institute for Contemporary Christianity