In every stage of life, we learn to save for something we cannot see. When we are kids, it might be saving for a new toy or a summer camp. When we are students, the piggy bank points to that first car. As adults, there is that moment when we start contributing to an IRA.
At each stage, a similar process happened:
- Someone promised you something you wanted or needed that you did not already possess: that BIG Lego set, the used pickup, or the ability to one day move to “Del Boca Vista.” A compelling vision was painted of a future reality that was worth your sacrifice today for your satisfaction tomorrow.
- Someone showed you it was real. Saving money for a fantasy is not very compelling. If I put $5 a month away to be able to buy my mom and dad tickets to my first NBA game, I would be wasting an opportunity. The sentiment is nice, but I have no chance of REALLY needing that money to buy a ticket to a game I would play in. Someone had to show you that the promise would become a reality one day in order to keep your commitment high. Someone had to do the math, show the projections, or let you see the price tag of the item you desired and show you it was within reach.
- You had to stay convinced that it was worth it. Since the item you want was not visible and was not immediate, and because you had other competing agendas vying for your attention, you had to stay focused on how the goal was totally worth it. Sometimes it was a fear of what failing to save would mean (walking to the prom, homeless in our old age). Other times, it was the excitement of the promise that kept you going (a vision of leaving a financial legacy to a future generation, seeing your friend’s smile as they drove their friends to Sonic for the first time).
If you saw a vision of something that you wanted/needed, knew it was REALLY POSSIBLE, and was ABSOLUTELY WORTH IT, you would persevere to see that dream into your future.
Now, I say this today, because as I look at 4 parables in Matthew 13, I see Jesus talking about a future reality that we want and need — to be a part of eternal life in Christ’s Kingdom. However, in this present age, we cannot see the full effect of this Kingdom, so we are tempted to wonder if it is REALLY going to happen, and (even if it is) is it REALLY WORTH IT? Jesus tells the parables of the mustard seed, leaven, treasure, and pearl to tell us that what we cannot see is worth giving everything for. Instead of asking us to save for the future, He wants to SAVE US into the future . . . will you trust Him?
Sunday at Wildwood in our 9:45 and 11:00 services we will be “ALL IN” to see these parables as we conclude our “Like” series together. Hope to see you there!