The Pearl of Great Price
The Kingdom of Heaven is worth sacrificing everything else to possess.
A merchant seeking fine pearls finds one of extraordinary value and sells everything to buy it. The Kingdom is not one treasure among many but the ultimate treasure that puts all others in perspective. When we truly see the Kingdom's worth, sacrifice becomes joy—we happily release lesser goods for the supreme good. This parable challenges half-hearted discipleship and calls for total commitment. What we are willing to give up reveals what we truly value. The Kingdom costs everything and is worth infinitely more.
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer described 'costly grace' that demands everything but gives everything—the pearl worth any price.
Gospel of Matthew
Written about in
- What Christianity says about longing and hope
A merchant finds one pearl and sells everything else to buy it. The story is less about sacrifice being noble than about what happens to a person's other wants once they have seen something worth more.