ULTIMATE CONCERN AND BIRD-LIME OF DEATH

El reino de los cielos es como un tesoro escondido en un campo. Cuando un hombre lo descubrió, lo volvió a esconder, y lleno de alegría fue y vendió todo lo que tenía y compró ese campo. NVI

Ufalme wa mbinguni unafanana na hazina iliyofichwa shambani ambayo mtu mmoja aliigundua akaificha tena. Kisha katika furaha yake, akaenda akauza vyote alivyokuwa navyo, akanu nua lile shamba. SNT

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. KJV

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field. NRSV

Many translations, but one reality.

Yet what happens if one discovers that treasure, and hides it; then goes and... just can't quite let go of all that one has to buy that field? What then? I guess most of us know about that. Certainly the proof of the pudding (our ultimate concern) is in the eating (our living). Augustine describes it thus,

"I panted for honors, for money, for marriage, and You were laughing at me. I found bitterness and difficulty in following these desires, and Your graciousness to me was shown in the way You would not allow me to find anything sweet which was not You. Look into my heart, Lord; for it was You who willed me to remember all this and to confess it to You. Let my soul cleave to You now that You have freed it from that fast-holding bird-lime of death. How unhappy it was then! And You pricked its wound on the quick, that, it might leave everything else, and turn to You who art above all things, and without whom all things would be nothing, so that it might turn to You and be cured."