"The Pearl" by Bill Mong...

The Pearl

It was day one of the fall Semester at a Bible college. The professor entered the packed auditorium and sat on the edge of his old and cluttered desk. He clapped his hands together and boisterously asked, “Who is God? That is your assignment for this semester. It will account for 100% of your grade. It is due by midterm.”

The class began to buzz. Most of them were smiling. What an easy assignment. This was going to be a cakewalk.

“By the way…” he continued. “You cannot quote one Bible verse nor may you use any description which remotely resembles a Bible verse. And I know the Bible very, very well.”

Every student glared back at him with the look of most profound indignation and confusion, evident by their open mouths. It was the question of the century; literally. Most of them, having entered the new millennium as adolescents, could not pull together even the slightest original perspective that this question demanded. And in the moments of silence that followed, some of them began to gather their things and leave.

The professor did not speak. He let each one go as he or she had decided. He knew that they would not be back; at least not until next semester.

Soon the class was down to half capacity and most of those who remained looked as though they were just too embarrassed to join the others. The Professor scanned the room and began to smile very subtly. “And does anyone have an answer for my question?”

The classmates looked around but no one spoke. “Fine! We will meet here again for class on exam day.”

The students gawked again and this time a din arose. Just one student sat quietly, looking at the professor with mild interest. The other students began filing out and soon it was just the two of them. The professor pushed himself up from the edge of his desk and walked a few steps closer to the still seated young lady. “Do you have an answer?” he asked.

“Yes.”

“Well?”

“Your question is impossible to answer.”

“Go on.”

“The Bible is the only source we have to know who God is.”

The professor’s forehead wrinkled. “I’ll see you at midterm.”

The months passed and when midterm arrived, just as the professor had anticipated, only about a third of the original students were present. “As soon as you place your papers on my desk, you are free to go.”

After a few moments the students began to amble toward the desk and place their papers in a less than neat pile on one corner. He could tell that they all wanted to ask. What is the right answer?

Soon the place was empty again and he picked through the pile. “God is an unending source of energy.” And. “God is everything.” The professor chuckled. No clue. And then he came to Lacy’s paper. He remembered her from the first day and was curious as to whether her answer had changed. He read… and began to smile…

“God is what or whoever rules your life.”

Mt 13:45&46

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”

What are you willing to spend? What will you give up? There is only one pearl that makes all others worthless.

For some, unfortunately, it is anything but the God of Heaven and Earth. (This is not an attempt at judging others. To be completely transparent, I still have a couple of imperfect, misshapen pearls in my pocket.)

The meaning of life is not hard to figure out, though it takes a portion of your life to do so. I truly believe the meaning of this life is to make us who we will be in the next.

You are God’s pearl of great price. He bought you. Nothing exists that is more valuable to him.

What rules your thoughts?

Where is most of your free time spent?

Answering these questions will give you the true perspective you need to evaluate your true focus.

I leave you with this. It really is true. Junk in, junk out.

Be awake.

B. Mong