When all hope seems gone, buy a field. At least that’s the advice that Jeremiah got.
His country, Israel was under siege. God told him clearly that the enemy was going to take over. There was no doubt that he and his countrymen would have to surrender. Yet even in the midst of these circumstances, God told Jeremiah to buy a field- a field that he knew would soon be owned by the enemy.
Why? Because God knew what was coming. Even in the midst of such a doomsday prophecy, God told Jeremiah that He was still going to restore Israel. That there would once again be singing and laughing. So Jeremiah bought the field (most likely for a good price!)
What is it in your life that seems hopeless?
A few years ago, I was working in a very close knit ministry team in which one of my co-workers continued to rub me the wrong way. This person flipped when I flopped, if you know what I mean. After trying to grit it out for many months, I finally went to our ministry leader to talk it through.
She encouraged me to buy a field. Not literally, but she suggested that I start investing in this person- in prayer, in time, in resources.
Nothing else was working, so I tried it. I asked God to give me His heart and His eyes for this co-worker. (And I kept asking, many times!) I invited this person out to lunch or coffee on more than one occasion. I asked questions. I listened. I offered to pay for the meal. I offered to help this person with some of their responsibilities. I invested.
And you know what? My perspective began to change. I began to see this person as someone valuable. Someone made in God’s image with great worth. Someone with a sense of humor. Someone with dreams. Someone with a past. And with a future.
Suddenly, there was grace and compassion when before there was none. It’s not that the irritating characteristics of this person disappeared, it’s that love began to cover them over. Oil was poured on the gears and the grind was lessened.
Proverbs 13:10 says, “Where there is strife, there is pride.” Pride blocks us from seeing people for who they really are- important to the Creator of the Universe. Worth Jesus going to the cross. Pride deceives us into thinking that anyone who doesn’t act or think like me must be either more or less, rather than just being different. And God likes different. Just take a look at His creation.
It’s easy to see the dirt in people. It takes grace to see the gold. And any gold is worth an investment.
