THE MERCHANT DID NOT FIND A “FAIR” PEARL OR A PEARL OF MODERATE PRICE BUT A PERFECT PEARL OF GREAT PRICE
“Who, when he had found one pearl of great price…”
On three occasions I have researched the quality of a precious stone. One of those occasions was the purchase of my wife’s engagement ring. It was during this time that I learned about the quality and characterizes of diamonds. What makes them sparkle. What makes them valuable. What makes them desirable. Like the quality of a pearl, the better the cut, brilliance, and blemish free surface of a diamond, combined with its size, the more valuable it would be. I learned quickly that I could buy my future wife a large diamond if I was okay with the fact that it looked foggy and did not reflect light. Alternatively, I could afford a diamond that was almost perfect in cut and brilliance if I didn’t mind the fact that it was very small. Ultimately, I settled for a diamond of a fair size that had minor imperfections and whose moderate price I could afford.
This is quite the contrast to the pearl that the Merchant finds and buys. He does not find a pearl that is perfect but small, or imperfect but large. He does not find a pearl that is categorized as “fair”. He does not settle for the moderately priced, moderately brilliant pearl. Rather, he finds the one pearl, the perfect pearl, the ideal pearl, the pearl by which all other pearls may be measured, and he buys it. This purchase is not of moderate price like the diamond I bought my wife. This pearl is of great price. It will take everything this merchant has to acquire this one perfect pearl. For the merchant, however, the value of the things that he will give up are nothing to be compared with the value of the one pearl of great price. For you see – that which is perfect is beyond value. Its value is far above rubies, gold, silver, diamonds, and treasure. That pearl which is perfect is a priceless treasure. Every wise man would quickly acquire it no matter the cost.
Sometimes the Christian is chastised by the world for wasting what could be a fun life. For those who do not have the priceless treasure of the one perfect pearl, the Christian looks to have nothing at all. But the Christian has something the world cannot understand.
The Christian has something that is perfect beyond words. The Christian has a pearl, has one pearl, and that pearl is perfect. Here are words even the world can understand. The man with the most money in his generation has yet to enjoy his riches beyond the closing of his eyes to sleep the sleep of death. No man has ever brought his worldly wealth with him though all the world has tried. But the Christian’s treasure is Jesus Christ Himself who leads His people from this life through death and too life forever with him. He does not just give peace now but no peace later. He is the Prince of Peace, He has conquered death, He has prepared places for His people in Heaven, He has reconciled the Christian to God with His own blood. He is the perfect treasure. He is the one perfect treasure. No one and nothing else has done, can do, or will do what He has done, is doing, and will do. What can be possibly compared to this pearl Jesus Christ? He is the perfect treasure. He who has Christ, has treasure without comparison. And he has treasure that will lead him from this life to the next.
My friend, do you, this very day, have the priceless treasure? Are you trusting in the one perfect pearl of great price or have you settled for foggy treasures of the world that will soon disappear? None who have Christ have ever lacked. None who have Christ are ever poor. Take hold on Him by faith and with repentance unto life and you too shall have the one perfect pearl of great price that shall never leave you or forsake you but will be your God even through death.
Ben Stahl, Elder