The Treasure and the Field

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There are moments in life when something ordinary teaches us something eternal.

For me, one of those moments happened in first grade.

My teacher, Miss Swift, had a treasure box. Every Friday, if you did your work, behaved yourself, and avoided a warning—or worse, a ruler pop on the hand—you got to choose something from that box. Even as a first grader, I knew the truth: the box was full of junk. Bouncy balls, plastic trinkets, things that would be lost by Monday.

But buried at the bottom—if you were lucky—was a piece of candy. Sometimes even a Smarty.

That was the treasure.

I didn’t care about the rest of the box. I wanted what mattered.

Treasure in Scripture

The Bible talks a lot about treasure.

In the Old Testament, God calls His people a treasured possession. In the New Testament, believers in Christ are described the same way—redeemed, forgiven, and deeply valued by God.

Jesus takes this idea even further in Matthew 13:44:

“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.”

Jesus wasn’t just talking about heaven someday. He was talking about recognizing the value of God’s kingdom—and being willing to give everything for it.

But there’s something important in that story we often overlook.

You Don’t Get the Treasure Without the Field

In Jesus’ day, people didn’t have banks or safes. If you had something valuable, you buried it. Fields were often bought not just for the land, but for what might be hidden beneath it.

When someone bought a field, they didn’t just get the treasure. They got everything else too.

The dirt. The weeds. The snakes. The rats.

The field came with the treasure.

And that truth applies to every part of life.

People Have Fields

Every person has a treasure—and a field.

I learned this the hard way early in ministry. There was a man I didn’t like. I didn’t want him serving in leadership. I couldn’t even clearly explain why—I just didn’t like him.

A wise, godly older pastor took me to lunch and gently challenged me. He asked me to pray. To examine my heart. To look beyond the field.

That man eventually became one of my favorite people.

I had been so focused on the field that I almost missed the treasure.

Families Have Fields

Parents, your children are treasures. But they come with fields.

Messy rooms. Water bottles everywhere. Middle school attitudes. Teenage emotions.

If we’re not careful, we’ll get so distracted by the field that we forget the treasure God placed right in front of us.

Marriages Have Fields

When couples start dating, they show each other the treasure. Nobody brings their baggage on the first date. Nobody introduces their crazy relatives or lists their flaws.

But after marriage, the field shows up.

Stress. Conflict. Health issues. Job loss. Aging.

The treasure is still there—but it can get buried under weeds if we stop looking for it.

Most marriages don’t fall apart because the treasure disappears. They fall apart because people forget it’s there.

Churches Have Fields

Our church has treasures—faithful servants, loving people, committed leaders. But we also have a field.

Weaknesses. Imperfections. Growing pains.

Every church does.

If you’re searching for a perfect church with no field, you’ll never find one. But if you’re willing to love the field, you’ll discover the treasure God has placed there.

Don’t Miss the Treasure

Jesus didn’t say the field was perfect. He said the treasure was worth it.

So don’t rule out the field—because if you do, you’ll miss the treasure.

Look for it. Protect it. Dig for it when you have to.

Because God has placed treasure in people, families, marriages, and churches—and it’s worth everything.