Anciently, in times of war, people commonly hid valuables in the ground. If the individual doing so was killed or taken prisoner, knowledge about the hidden “treasure” would be lost. Years later, while plowing a field, a plowman might discover the hidden “treasure.” Recognizing the value of his find, he would do whatever he could to obtain the field and thereby acquire the treasure.

Jesus likened the “kingdom of the heavens” or the “kingdom of God” to a “treasure” a man found in a field and his subsequent sale of all his possessions to be able to buy this field. (Matthew 13:44) In the parable, the man did not begin his work in the field in order to look for a treasure. It was an unexpected find. Similarly, individuals may not necessarily have been searching for something that would add inestimable value to the life they were living. Then, when they hear the message about God’s kingdom and what it can mean for them to be part of his realm, they recognize its value and do whatever is required of them to have God as the Sovereign of their lives.