The Rev. Kristin Johnston Largen, Ph.D.
There is a central commitment that constitutes the core of Jesus’ life and work, that informs everything he does. It is at the heart of how he views the world, how he interacts with others, and how he makes decisions about to whom he directs his attention, and where he puts his body.
Given who Jesus is—Emmanuel, God-with-us—this core is the same core that stands at God’s very existence. It lies at God’s very heart, and informs everything about how God reveals Godself, and how God repeatedly chooses to be in relationship to all of God’s creation, including humanity.
That core, of course, is love: unconditional, prodigal, overwhelming, extravagant, unending love. And it is this love that both is the treasure, and also transforms everything it touches into treasure. It is God’s love, bestowed freely on you and me and the whole world in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, that transforms us into God’s treasure, and therefore also into treasure for each other: me, you, your annoying neighbor, your estranged family member—God’s treasures, all.
This means that through Christ’s power, abiding in me, I am invited and empowered to see and hold you as my treasure, and allow myself to be seen and held by you as well, even as we then together reach out to see and hold the entire world as treasure, such that every single person knows him/their/herself to be deeply, passionately, unconditionally loved.
This is what the kingdom of God looks like. It is where you, child of God, know yourself to be that pearl worth such a dear price.
