The parable of the cranky children.

Love me.  Now!

I've been thinking a bit about the parable of the hidden treasure lately.  You know the one.  Where the man finds a hidden treasure and in his joy, sells all he has to buy the land where he found the treasure.  Even though everything in my life is in fast motion right now, I managed to slow down long enough to think about this parable that I've read probably hundreds of times in my life.  Obviously this parable is not like some of the others where the meaning was hidden to the people Jesus was speaking with.  This one is blatantly talking about God's kingdom.  So, what does this look like for me?  Do I have to sell everything I have to find the kingdom of heaven?  I don't think so.  To sell everything- that is a big sacrifice!  But, what about to give up sleep?  To give up "me time"?  To be busier than I like to be, more needed, stretched in more directions than I'm used to?  What if that is the sacrifice the Lord is asking me to make to find his kingdom?  It seems like God's kingdom in Bible times came to those who were being healed and freed and given sight.  We're told even though the fullness is yet to come, we live in His kingdom when He is at work around us, in us and through us.  When I am rocking Moses in the night for the 10th time because he is crying again, God's kingdom has come.  When I'm sorting out tears and tantrums from my 3 year old and showing her that someone cares, God's kingdom has come.  When I sympathetically listen to my eldest complain that everyone else gets treated better than her, God's kingdom has come.  I've been known to complain about a lot of these things lately.  It's exhausting to mother 3 needy children.  (Can I get an AMEN?!)  But, I think the Lord is wanting me to see that the painful sacrifice of it all brings me an even greater reward: Himself.