Old Man Laws cackled with glee when he heard that that upstart of a youngster from down the road a ways wanted to buy his north field. Obviously he didn’t know much about land, or he wouldn’t want that chunk of soil. Why it was covered with rocks. Generations ago when his great-great-granddaddy Moses first owned the land there were only ten rocks: ten good bold specimens that lined the perimeter of the plot and even had some mighty fine inscriptions on them. He couldn’t decipher the faded script no more, but they had some lofty commandments written on them designed to keep folks in line. Well, he didn’t quite know how it happened, but every now and then when he was working the soil, more stones would turn up. They reminded a fella of all the countless rules and reg’alations that seemed to be replacing those fine solid Ten Commandments that Old Brother Moses had talked about.
Ah, here ‘e comes. Old Man Laws rubbed his hands with delight then picked up his cane and hobbled down the lane to meet the fella.
“Ya sure you want this parcel of land? I got another one far lusher and buttin’ up to the river over yonder.”
“Positive; “ Thing is Peter had heard there was a pearl of great price buried in this field and he had already sold all that he owned in order to purchase it.
Together they walked across the land back and forth. Right about dead center there was a massive boulder that Laws had neglected to tell the potential buyer about. He had farmed around it for years, since it wasn’t worth trying to move the thing.
Peter looked at it and stroked his chin. That was where the pearl was buried.
“Too much trouble to move that Rock,” Laws stammered, “But the soil is mighty good all-around it: won’t be a problem to farm.”
Peter wasn’t listening to him. “I’ll buy it.”
Laws scratched his grizzled head. Every man for himself, I guess, and they meandered over to the house to do the paper work.
Peter’s companions crowded around and slapped him on the back.
“It’ll be a lot of work but I feel the Pearl will be worth it. After we find it, we will prepare the field.
The Pearl is Jesus. The field is His church.
Matt 13:44
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