January 5

Read: Matthew 13:44-46

The kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46).

Am I Serious About Serving God?

A stranger getting his shoes shined was curious about a church convention in town. He asked the shine boy: “Who are all these people that I see wearing badges?”

The boy replied: “Dey is some kind of ‘ligious group, Boss.”

“I know,” the man answered, “but what kind?”

The boy’s response was: “I ain’t quite shuh, Mistah. But as neah as All can figah, dey is some kind of souped-up Christians!” It was not a bad testimony that these convention delegates had left in a shoeshine shop.

Would anyone see in my Christian life a “souped-up” job”? Do my acquaintances have reason to believe that my commitment to God is something more than the ordinary[ stock model? More important still, Does Christ know that His will is supreme in my life? Can I honestly say that I am in earnest about serving God?

A Sunday school teacher recently said of the Christian life: “To be filled with the Holy Spirit is as good as it can get.” And it is. Apart from all-out abandonment to God there is no real satisfaction in religion. But in such abandon there is joy. It is this joy that Jesus was talking about when He said: “The Kingdom of heaven is like treasure buried in the field, which a man finds, but buries again, and, in his joy about it, goes and sells all he has and buys that piece of ground” (Weymouth).

Who would not “buy” such an all-out religion? What Christian would turn away when Christ points him to the treasure that he has been seeking?.

All for Jesus! All for Jesus! All my being’s ransomed pow’rs: All my tho’ts and words and doings, All my days and all my hours.

— Mary D. James