Hidden in the field

The disciples came to him and asked, "Why do you speak to the people in parables?" He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: "Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand." (matt 13:10-13)

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field." (matt 13:44)

i've heard, sometimes, a prayer prayed: Lord, give me ears to hear and eyes to see.

david platt, in his book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, asks two pivotal questions of his readers. will we believe what Jesus says, and will we obey what we hear? i'm going to be brutally honest here. i read the first chapter where mr. platt immediately dives into "become homeless," "let someone else bury your dad," and "don't even say good-bye to your family," and my mind immediately thought of my Dream Living Room. the one i've been planning fantasizing over for a few years. one that is void of kid and pet stains, that has an artsy, funky vibe that marries cool and eclectic and possibly a hint of elegant chic. THAT living room, which is, um, not what my living room looks like now. i have a girlfriend who is very "green," and we love to wax on about our schizophrenic natures: we want to hate stuff, but sometimes we love nice stuff. we want to reduce waste, but we still entertain shopping at Anthropologie, just because we can. or because we want to. and believe me, i want to. there are days i want to run so far away from kid spills and my worn pajamas yogapant look, don those statement necklaces, and feel posh for a change.
but...
i already have my treasure.
and it's hidden in a field. one that's already been bought for me. at the highest possible cost.
and not many understand why i'd sell all my possessions and buy an empty field.
not everyone gets to see the treasure. not everyone can understand his words.
david platt wrote, "my biggest fear, even now, is that i will hear Jesus' words and walk away, content to settle for less than radical obedience to him."
this is probably my biggest fear, too.
one of my life verses has been, "Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked."(psalm 84:10) and i used to say during particularly hard seasons that i'd still choose to be His than to spend a thousand days with whatever idol was distracting me (a guy, academic hardship, broken relationships, even just hurt weighing heavily). can i still say that if i lose material wealth, if i didn't have an SUV to tote my kids, and nice (albeit stained, i'm not kidding!) furniture, and well, a roof at all for that matter. [you have only to look here, or here, or here to be reminded that wealthy is very subjective globally.]
what will authentic faith look like in my life?
will i have eyes to see the treasure, hidden?
will i have a heart that yearns to obey, no matter the cost?
can i forsake that dream living room? what about the idea of my kids' comfort? could i give more of myself than i already do?
can i be radical in this day and age?

i'm SO excited to be joining at marla's discussion of this book over the next ten weeks. i have no idea what it's going to look like or how we'll all participate, but i know that i expect to be challenged and encouraged. please come check it out!!