Understanding the parables of Jesus may feel as difficult as finding buried treasure. Are His parables riddles to solve? Are they mysterious allegories where every character represents something in our lives? The original listeners also wondered. “What did that story mean?” they asked. Jesus’ answer was telling. “Are you that dull?” That’s a not-so-subtle response if I ever heard one!  I think what Jesus meant is that we often try too hard when interpreting His stories. He intended for us to listen for a simple and personal message, as a child listens to a bedtime story. And as that child may think, I want to be just like the hero, we too are to imagine ourselves in His stories.

One of Jesus’ fascinating parables is a set of two little tales of hidden treasure. In one, a person finds a buried treasure and does everything he can to secure it for himself. In another, a treasure-hunter is on a life-long quest for the greatest of all pearls. Jesus invites us to ponder these tales.

I think the invitation is to ponder what our treasure is. What is it for you? Is it family? Is your treasure a certain position you’ve been striving for? Is it early retirement? Is it a deeper friendship with God? The most remarkable thing is to realize that God has His own treasure that He pursues—and it’s you! Remarkable indeed. How could I be that important to God, you may wonder. I wonder the same thing. And getting lost in the wonderment of this truth just may be the treasure hunt to be on! Jesus Stories will help your hunt.    

“The only thing keeping us from intimacy is our own self-sufficiency.”

—Samuel C Hughes