A French family found an unexpected treasure in 2018. It was a vase, kept in a shoebox and stashed in their attic because they didn’t like it much. When examined by experts, the vase turned out to be from the 18th century Qing dynasty in China. In perfect condition with remarkable artistic details, it sold at auction for $19 million! Before you run off to search your own attic for treasure, consider today’s parables. Both are pictures of what it’s like to find the kingdom of heaven. The first compares it to finding a treasure hidden in a field (v. 44). Hiding valuables in this way was more common in an age without safes or bank vaults. The discovery here was an unexpected surprise. Understanding the value of what he’s found, he rushes off joyfully to sell all he has in order to buy the field and thus obtain the treasure. The second parable compares finding the kingdom of heaven to finding a pearl of tremendous value (vv. 45–46). The discovery comes after a long quest, but the result is the same. The man joyfully “sold everything he had and bought it” (v. 46). Both stories demonstrate the supreme worth of the kingdom—and by implication, of salvation and of Christ—and the necessity of total commitment. There can be nothing halfhearted about Christian discipleship. The joy in these parables is in finding Christ, for He embodies the kingdom of heaven. Just as heaven rejoices when one lost sheep was found (see December 12), so also do the “lost sheep” celebrate the treasure of being found by the Good Shepherd. Their joy signals the start of a transformed life. After all, the treasure is not “ours,” but rather we belong to the kingdom! >> Did you ever find an unexpected treasure, like a dollar bill left in your pocket? Or maybe it was something you actively searched for, like geocaching. Luke 12:34 encourages us to ask: Where or what is my treasure? What do I value above all else?