“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. — Mt 13:44
The man in Jesus’ parable is an imprudent investor. The man, apparently, knows nothing of hedging.
John Calvin states that the object of the parable “is to inform us, that none are qualified for receiving the grace of the Gospel but those who disregard all other desires, and devote all their exertions, and all their faculties, to obtain it.” (Calvin’s Commentary on Matthew, Mark, Luke)
I’m not tempted to jettison my faith and replace it with the latest flavor of the month or total despair. That’s simply not an option. What tempts me, and I suspect you as well, is a nagging and persistent desire to hedge my bets.
The temptation is to give some of myself to the church and some of myself to the pleasures of the world because “storing up treasures in heaven” requires great faith. The tempter inside of me asks: what if there is no life after death? What if my offering is for nothing? What if this is it?
In response to this temptation, Calvin points us to Paul’s testimony in Philippians 3:8.
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ — Php 3:8
Tyler Dale Gaastra 