Pearl of Great Price

My parents have a beautiful love story and a tremendous testimony. One chapter within their chronicles takes us to the setting of a jewelry store. Young and in love, my father was looking for a special wedding gift for his fiancé.  His eyes settled on a simple strand of pearls. Though he knew he surely did not have enough money, he found himself inquiring about the precious piece.   

“How much for these pearls, please?

The clerk studied him and asked him a question in return.

“How much do you have to spend on these pearls, sir?” 

His answer: $69. 

“Well,” the clerk smiled, “these pearls are $69 dollars today.”

The miracle that my father experienced that day holds a valuable lesson within Kingdom principles.

The True Cost

Pearls are the precious jewels of the sea. Each one has its own story as it is uniquely crafted and formed within an oyster, mussel, or clam. 

A pearl’s introduction requires pressure and grit to conclude with beauty. The jewel is formed when an irritant finds its way to the mollusk.  What is begun as a defense mechanism, ends with a prize.  A fluid is secreted to coat the irritant.  Layer upon layer, secretion forms and builds until the pearl is formed.  It takes years to develop just one pearl in yet a mature mollusk.   Pearls are becoming rarer as well and their price is driving higher.  One can spend thousands and tens of thousands for this queen of gems!

My father, who’s heart was full of love for his soon-to be bride, didn’t have a problem parting with the only money in his pocket to obtain a treasure to gift his treasured one. 

The now appraised value of that $69 pearl strand is exponentially greater than the initial purchase price. Herein lies a Kingdom principle.  Natural pearls appreciate over time.  The Kingdom as well never loses its value, but rather increases in all areas and expands upon the Earth. 

Matthew 13:44-45 - The Parables of the Treasure and the Pearl

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.

When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy he went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls. When he found one very precious pearl, he went away and sold all he had and bought it.”

The Perfect Price

The Kingdom is so valuable. When you first met Jesus, everything else seemed to depreciate and fade, right? He was the stand-alone prize. Nothing else would seize your attention from laying hold of the riches in Christ.  

No wealth, possession, or earthly gain could be in comparison to the bottomless treasure trove in the Lord. Jesus paid the ultimate price which exponentially raised the value upon each of our lives with His own death. The way that He treasures each of us, making us feel like a single sought after pearl, should cause us to seek His Kingdom with the same tenacity and determination.

You may have heard the saying “don’t cast your pearls before swine.”  It means do not waste your time to offer something of value to one who won’t appreciate it.  Yet, Christ upon His death, literally expended His all. It was only for us to find, sell off everything else and treasure the One true gift. 

Isaiah 55:1-2, reflects upon more Kingdom principles of the beautiful exchange of buying something for free. 

“Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters;
and he who has no money, come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread,
    and your labor for that which does not satisfy?
Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,

and delight yourselves in rich food.”

So, what's in your pocket? Pull out your pocket lint, old gum, and cash in that spare change for the wealth of the Kingdom. Exchange what will not rot, (Matthew 6:19-21), for what is eternal and will remain!

Did you know?

Pearls are prized because of their luster, color, shape, and smooth surface, yet it is the unique properties of pearls that give them their ability to reflect and refract light! When you wear them, pearls ILLUMINATE the face!

So toss on some pearls, hop on Penndelwomen.com…and grab your ticket for the ILLUMINATE ’22 INSPIRE Conference!!!! Woohoo!