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b'\\u201cYou sure you want to do this?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d the man behind the desk asks me, hoping I will change my mind.\\nI nod. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Yep. Sure do.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nThe man rubs his temples, clearly agitated. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153It\\u2019s my duty to tell you this is not a good idea. It\\u2019s taken you years to save this much money. If you withdraw all your retirement funds now, you won\\u2019t have anything to live on later.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nI shrug, refusing to budge. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I need the money now. There\\u2019s something I want to buy.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I take a list out of my pocket. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I have some other things I need to sell too\\u2014 perhaps you could help me?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nHis eyes widen as he reads over the list. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Both of your cars, your boat\\u2026your house! This is everything you own.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d He shakes his head. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I don\\u2019t get it. What could you possibly want to buy that requires cashing in every single one of your assets?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nI take a deep breath. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153There\\u2019s a piece of land I want to purchase.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nHe stares at me. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153A piece of land? What are you planning to do, start a development?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153No,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I say. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153That\\u2019s not why I want it, and I won\\u2019t have any money left over to build anything anyway. The owner\\u2019s price is very high, and he refuses to take a penny less. But I need that piece of land\\u2014I have to have it.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nThe man lets out a deep sigh. He looks pained. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153All right. Here goes nothing.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d He clicks a button on the computer. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153There. All your shares have been sold.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d He points to the list. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I can put you in touch with people who can help you sell these other items.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153Thank you.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I get up and reach for my coat.\\n\\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153I have to ask,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d the man says. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153What\\u2019s so special about this piece of land that you\\u2019re willing to sell everything you own in order to get it?\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d\\nI smile at him. \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153There\\u2019s treasure on that property\\u2014treasure worth more than anything in the world.\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d I open the door and head out into the sunshine, a spring in my step and joy filling my heart. \\u2022 Courtney Lasater\\n\\u2022 This story (and the verse it\\u2019s based on) is a parable. It\\u2019s not saying it\\u2019s bad to have money or own nice things\\u2014in fact, other verses in the Bible emphasize that money is a gift from God and we should save and spend it wisely. This parable is meant to show how money and possessions pale in comparison to the greatest treasure of all\\u2014Jesus Himself. He is our life, our righteousness, our hope\\u2026and He invites us to become citizens in God\\u2019s eternal kingdom and be cleansed of every wrong we\\u2019ve ever done. His gift of salvation is free\\u2014it costs us nothing because Jesus paid the price for us. He endured a death He didn\\u2019t deserve and rose again from the dead, all so that we could be restored to relationship with God. (Check out our \\u201cKnow Jesus\\u201d page.)\\n\\u2022 Did the man in Matthew 13:44 or the character in today\\u2019s story strike you as odd? Why?\\n\\u2022 Read Mark 10:17-22. How did the rich young ruler\\u2019s response to meeting Jesus differ from the man in the parable\\u2019s response to finding treasure? \\n\\u2022 According to Philippians 3:17-21, what mindset should we have toward the things of this world as citizens of God\\u2019s heavenly kingdom? \\n\\u2022 Have you ever noticed yourself putting more importance on a worldly possession than on Jesus and His kingdom? Take a moment to talk to God about it, and ask Him to show you how great the eternal treasure of knowing Him really is! (Check out Ephesians 2:7.)\\nThe 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. Matthew 13:44 (NIV)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nGenesis 29:16-35; Isaiah 43:4'