What is most valuable to us? For some it is their spouse. For some it is a piece of land. For some it is the dream career, volunteer opportunity, or ministry. For some it is freedom from incarceration. For some it is lots of money in the bank and all that comes with it.
But does cost mean that something is valuable? If someone had $100,000,000, would something that cost $1,000 be more valuable versus someone who only had $100 and spent all that he had for a moment, event, or time it would be all worth it?
After moving from a couple of farms, my grandparents took their five children to their third and final farm. For decades to come this farm would not only be a source of income, but a home for my grandmother that she will forever cherish and a place of many fond memories by the families who lived and visited that farm. To the county tax assessor, it is a piece of land not fit for growing crops and not big enough to run a lot of cattle on it. For the last many years nothing was really done on the land to improve value…sadly buildings and equipment were either sold off or fell into disrepair. But to my grandparents, this property—their home—was their sanctuary and something that, no matter what, would provide a revenue source in case money were ever needed. When my grandfather purchased the 160-acre property for $10,000 through help of the GI Bill, it was perhaps the most important tangible or visible asset to his life.
That is until this past week. Just transferred from the VA hospital in Kansas City to a nursing home that he will remain until a permanent residency and vacancy becomes available in a convalescent home in Chillicothe. As soon as he is moved there, his wife of 67 years will join him. To him, a land he owned for almost 50 years became nothing to him any more if he could not have his wife by his side to spend the remainder of their lives together.
Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus speaking, says, “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
What do these parables mean? In both parables a man possessed something—land or occupation—and discovered something that he identified to be of much greater value. He sold out everything to have it. For the Christian this parable means that everything is nothing and salvation is that treasure buried in the field or the pearl of great price. Nothing else matters.
Romans 10:13-15 declares, “For ‘whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.’ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!’” This segues into what God sees as important: souls. To the Good Shepherd, leaving everything to search for that lost lamb meant everything to Him. Before Jesus left, He had to settle and charge Peter to be the new keeper of the sheep. The whole purpose of God to send His Son Jesus Christ was, “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11).
There is a story I shared a long time ago of a man who was walking along a pier and noticed a great commotion at the end of it. He hurried to see what all the excitement was. When he reached the bannister, there caught in the bellowing waves was a child being mercilessly dragged out into sea. He looked and noticed that no one dared to enter the fury of waves but just yelled, waved, and panicked. As the man began to strip off is outer garments and found a stretch of rope, he yelled to the crowd that he was willing to risk his life and all they had to do was hold the rope. They all agreed and held onto the rope. The rescuer dove into the crashing waves and swam against all odds to save this youth. And although he sucked in much salt water and was tired, he finally reached the young boy. He saved the child.
We are aware of many of familiar face tonight. Whether on the streets of Kingsville, in a neighboring city, or even halfway around the globe. These are people who go to church with, fellowship and outreach with, and people whom we saw launched from a conference and pray for. We and they dove into the waters to go rescue—just like Jesus—that which was lost. Our giving and more so toward world evangelism shows our hearts are linked to the vision and commandment from Jesus. For those who are unable to go, we are they who hold the rope. We support in prayer and in our giving.
But our story sadly doesn’t end there. When the hero turned back to the crowd, he yelled as loud as he could, “I have him! Pull me in!” Did the crowd on the pier rejoice? Did they with all their strength pull the man and the boy back to shore? With a haunted expression on the hero’s face, he discovered that while he swam to see to rescue the child all those on the pier lost interest and went about their business. The man and the boy perished in the sea because everyone failed to hold the rope. By our lack of giving of our offerings and to world evangelism, we are simply letting go of the rope. Will we let go of the rope?