The Thrill of the Find (And Why the Kingdom Is Worth It)

Something strange happens in our brains when we make a purchase. The pleasure chemical dopamine spikes whenever we're on the hunt. Whether you're browsing Amazon or sifting through used records at the thrift store, we get a rush, a sensation of excitement. It's the thrill of the search, left over from our hunter-gatherer days. Then, once we have found what we're looking for, those pleasure chemicals kick into overdrive. Our heart rates increase. We feel a sense of euphoria.

Then the purchase is made and we drive home. Or we click "buy now" and wait for the package to arrive. Something shifts in that moment. We no longer feel the excitement, the rush, the joy we once did. Instead of being a "seeker," we have become an owner.

The Grail Piece Problem

In the world of collecting, certain items are known as "grail" pieces, based on the legend of the Holy Grail. It's that one thing to complete your collection, the major "what if" of your life. It's what you scroll eBay, Craigslist, and Facebook Marketplace for, just in case. You keep up with the prices. You surf different collectible sites to see what you might find.

I'm blown away by how much people will spend on certain collectibles. I'm even more shocked when they turn around and sell them. There truly is a major difference between seeking/finding, and having.

Many are seekers. Few are owners. And owning rarely brings satisfaction to the degree we expect. Sometimes it can even be a letdown.

This is exactly why the reactions of the characters in the parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl are so striking. Their responses reveal what makes the kingdom of heaven different from everything else we chase.

Joy That Drives Action

In the parable of the Hidden Treasure, the man who makes the discovery "goes and sells everything he has and buys that field."

This calls to mind two other men in the Gospels who each encountered Jesus. The first is the unnamed Rich Young Ruler. He came to Jesus expecting affirmation, but Jesus saw through the façade and, with compassion, cut to the heart of the matter. He knew the one thing holding this man back.

"You still lack one thing: Sell all you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." (Luke 18:22)

This is the exact trade described in the parable of the Hidden Treasure. Jesus commanded the rich man to do what the man in the story did, to go sell everything for a treasure of incomparable value.

But he couldn't do it.

After he heard this, he became extremely sad, because he was very rich. (Luke 18:23)

So why could the man in the parable do what the Rich Young Ruler could not? Jesus tells us the man in the parable acted "in his joy." His emotional response to the treasure is what drove him to sell everything. The Rich Young Ruler was more emotionally attached to his belongings than he was to the eternal treasure of the kingdom.

The Other Side of the Coin

On the flip side, we have another man in Luke 19 who responded just like the man in the parable. Zacchaeus was the chief tax collector of Jericho, meaning he was rich and had gained his wealth by exploiting his countrymen. But when he encountered Jesus and the good news of the kingdom, he willingly, joyfully, promised to give half his wealth to the poor and to pay back fourfold anyone he had cheated.

Joy is a powerful motivator.

Hebrews 12 reminds us that Jesus endured the cross with his eyes fixed on the joy awaiting him on the other side. He knew he had to go. And he was glad to.

Nehemiah tells his countrymen, "The joy of the LORD is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10). David prays from the depths of his heart in Psalm 51, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." How can joy sustain us through hard times? How can it meet us even in moments of repentance? Because God's presence brings joy (Psalm 16) even in the midst of sorrow and heartache.

Counting the Cost the Right Way

When it comes to the question of whether the kingdom of heaven is worth it, think about it from a joy perspective. Jesus urges any would-be disciple to count the cost, but it shouldn't just be about what you give up. It's about what you gain in return.

I am not preaching the prosperity gospel. I'm not saying that if you give your life to Christ and tithe faithfully you will become a millionaire and all your problems will vanish. Jesus said it himself: "In this world you will have troubles."

But he also promised this:

"Truly I tell you, in the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields because of my name will receive a hundred times more and will inherit eternal life. But many who are first will be last, and the last first." (Matthew 19:28-30)

We live in the "already but not yet" of the kingdom. The kingdom is here, and it is still to come. So are these promised blessings for this life or the next? Yes. Those blessings can be ours through the expression of the kingdom on this side of heaven, namely the church. In the Lord's church we find an extended family of brothers, sisters, mothers, and fathers across the globe. We have access to shared resources. Together we can accomplish far more than we could alone. The kingdom brings a great reversal where the first are last and the last are first, where those who have and those who need are brought together so that "there were no needy persons among them" (Acts 4:34).

The question isn't, "How can I afford to give up everything to follow Christ?" It's, "Why wouldn't I give up what I can't keep to gain what I can't lose?"