The title of this blog comes from two sources. One, Winston Churchill once called and the people of Uganda are still fond of calling Uganda “The Pearl of Africa.” Two, every since reading Chuck Swindoll’s book, Improving Your Serve, this parable of the Pearl of Great Price comes to mind. Here is imaginative version of that parable found in Swindoll’s book.
“I want to buy this pearl. How much is it?”
“Well,” the seller says, “it’s very expensive.”
“But how much,” we ask.
“Well, a very large amount.”
“Do you think I could buy it?”
“Oh, of course, everyone could buy it.”
“But, didn’t you say it was very expensive?”
“Yes.”
“Well, how much is it?”
“Everything you have,” says the seller.
We make up our minds, “All right. I’ll buy it,” we say.
“Well, what do you have?” he wants to know. “Let’s write it down.”
“Well, I have ten thousand dollars in the bank.”
“Good – ten thousand dollars. What else?”
“That’s all. That’s all I have.”
“Nothing more?”
“Well, I have a few dollars in my pocket.”
“How much?”We start digging. “Well, let’s see – thirty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred, a hundred twenty dollars.”
“That’s fine. What else do you have?”“Well, nothing. That’s all.”
“Where do you live?” He’s still probing.
“In my house. Yes I have a house.”
“The house, too, then.” He writes that down.
“You mean I have to live in my camper?”“You have a camper? That, too. What else?”
“I’ll have to sleep in my car!”
“You have a car?”“Two of them.”
“Both become mine, both cars. What else?”“Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?”
“Are you alone in this world?”“No I have a wife and two children…”
“Oh, yes, your wife and children, too. What else?”
“I have nothing left! I am left alone now.”
Suddenly the seller exclaims. “Oh, I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine – wife, children, house, money, cars - and you, too.”
Then he goes on. “Now listen – I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don’t forget they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them you must give them up, because now I am the owner.”
In order to inherit the kingdom of heaven, we are not called to give up ice cream, or swearing, or the niceties of life. We’re called to give up everything. After going to Uganda I was ready to give it all up. Over the last two years I’ve grown cold and callous. I hope the Spirit moves me again.
“I want to buy this pearl. How much is it?”
“Well,” the seller says, “it’s very expensive.”
“But how much,” we ask.
“Well, a very large amount.”
“Do you think I could buy it?”
“Oh, of course, everyone could buy it.”
“But, didn’t you say it was very expensive?”
“Yes.”
“Well, how much is it?”
“Everything you have,” says the seller.
We make up our minds, “All right. I’ll buy it,” we say.
“Well, what do you have?” he wants to know. “Let’s write it down.”
“Well, I have ten thousand dollars in the bank.”
“Good – ten thousand dollars. What else?”
“That’s all. That’s all I have.”
“Nothing more?”
“Well, I have a few dollars in my pocket.”
“How much?”We start digging. “Well, let’s see – thirty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred, a hundred twenty dollars.”
“That’s fine. What else do you have?”“Well, nothing. That’s all.”
“Where do you live?” He’s still probing.
“In my house. Yes I have a house.”
“The house, too, then.” He writes that down.
“You mean I have to live in my camper?”“You have a camper? That, too. What else?”
“I’ll have to sleep in my car!”
“You have a car?”“Two of them.”
“Both become mine, both cars. What else?”“Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?”
“Are you alone in this world?”“No I have a wife and two children…”
“Oh, yes, your wife and children, too. What else?”
“I have nothing left! I am left alone now.”
Suddenly the seller exclaims. “Oh, I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine – wife, children, house, money, cars - and you, too.”
Then he goes on. “Now listen – I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don’t forget they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them you must give them up, because now I am the owner.”
In order to inherit the kingdom of heaven, we are not called to give up ice cream, or swearing, or the niceties of life. We’re called to give up everything. After going to Uganda I was ready to give it all up. Over the last two years I’ve grown cold and callous. I hope the Spirit moves me again.
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