A jewellery merchant had a store in a large city, with many beautiful gems in it. Some were quite reasonably priced, and some were very expensive. But there was one stone in the store, a flawless pearl, which was more strikingly beautiful than any other, and this was displayed in its own case located in a prominent location, where everyone who came into the store could gaze at it in awe of its perfection. Many people, rich and poor, would come to that city from far-away places, just so that they could view it. There was no price shown, and most, recognizing its great value, would not even inquire as to the cost of it; but to those who did, the merchant would always answer,

“Ah, yes, that one! That one costs everything you have.”

And no one was willing to pay the price, because it was too great.

Then, one day towards evening in the middle of winter, a beggar came into the store to escape the biting wind and freezing cold. He noticed the pearl in its display case, and, like everyone else, he was fascinated by it, unable to take his eyes off of it. Finally, he approached the merchant and inquired about its cost, and he received the same answer as the rest.

The beggar went back to the display case, and spent a long time looking at this object of unique beauty from every angle, until at last he turned around, and taking off his worn overcoat, he handed it to the merchant behind the counter and announced, “I will take it.”

Without the slightest hesitation, the merchant unlocked the case and gave the pearl to its new owner. At this point, an even more astonishing thing happened. Asking the beggar to wait, the merchant disappeared into the back room of the store. He came back in a few moments with his own magnificent fur coat draped over one arm, and a key ring in his other hand. With just a hint of a smile on his face, he handed both to the surprised beggar, saying,

“You gave me everything you had, and now everything I have is yours.”

He then put on the beggar’s overcoat, opened the door, and vanished into the night.

“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.”

Matthew 13:45-46

Author unknown. If anyone has a proprietary interest in this story please authenticate and I will be happy to credit, or remove, as the circumstances dictate.

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