Looking For The Same Thing?

One day while playing basketball in his driveway, a teenager lost one of his contact lenses. After searching unsuccessfully he went inside to inform his mother of the loss. The mother immediately went outside and within a matter of only a few minutes she found the lost contact. Responding to her son’s inquiry as to how she was able to find it she said, “We were not looking for the same thing. You were looking for a small piece of plastic. I was looking for $150.”

Our point of view as to what matters most makes a big difference in what we are searching for in life and the seriousness of the effort expended in the search. If what we have begun the search for loses its VALUE in our eyes, the search may stop prematurely. We may decide it is useless. However, when it comes to that which is of eternal consequence, its VALUE must never be underestimated and the search should continue. As this teenager needed to develop the mother’s view of the VALUE of the item lost, we too need to seek to understand what our HEAVENLY FATHER VALUES!

In pressing the point of how we ought to SEEK the Kingdom of God, Jesus used a parable of one who was involved in a life search for fine pearls.

“(45) Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, (46) who, on finding ONE PEARL OF GREAT VALUE, went and SOLD ALL that he had and BOUGHT IT.” ( Matthew 13:45-46 ESV)

Here was one who recognized the GREATEST VALUE among all other things. His search was not deterred as he sought that which was of the GREATEST VALUE. He was not distracted by the many other pearls he had acquired along the way. His search continued until he found the one of GREATEST VALUE!

When Jesus told the parable of the lost sheep it did not matter that it was only one sheep among many. That which was lost was worth the search.

Reading Jesus’ own words…
“(12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go IN SEARCH OF THE ONE that went astray? (13) And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, HE REJOICES OVER IT MORE THAN OVER THE NINETY-NINE THAT NEVER WENT ASTRAY. (14) So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” ( Matthew 18:12-14 ESV)

When value is recognized the search is not given up too soon. What are we seeking? What do we value? Are we looking for the same thing God is? Perhaps like the teenager who was only looking for a small piece of plastic we merely look around us and see people when what we really ought to see is souls HIGHLY VALUED BY GOD and in need of being found for Him. May we seek to keep true VALUE always in perspective as we go about our pursuits throughout life.

Have a great day SEEKING WHAT GOD DESIRES!
Carl

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