WISDOM: 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.
REFLECTION: ‘One of the greatest (and shortest) of short stories ever told is Jesus’s parable of treasure in the field. The treasure is worth everything. It seems to me that our potential involvement in the bringing of good to the world is truly worth all that we have. That we really need to be ready to Give Everything to Find Everything. And the word give is vital here. Many of these practices rooted in the life and wisdom of Jesus involve a giving away, a letting go, an opening of hands and heart, a dropping away of what we instinctively want to hold close, usually because of fear…’
PRACTICE: ‘The practice of Give Everything to Find Everything is about establishing a ritual by which you remind yourself each day of your desire to give everything to find everything, to become the truly human being you are meant to be and to bring good to the world. Only you can decide what your ritual will look like. But I would encourage you to make it physical in some way, perhaps through a gesture or movement, accompanied by words. Make it simple and portable so that you can do it wherever you are…’
©Ian Adams ‘Running Over Rocks: spiritual practices to transform tough times’ (Canterbury Press)
Look out for short daily posts around the week’s theme on Facebook and Twitter. We’ll be doing the practices wherever we are, and we’ll look forward to hearing how you get on – do let us know!
Ian’s new collection of poems Unfurling is out now in paperback and e-format on Canterbury Press, also via your local bookshop, and all usual online sources including Book Depository with free delivery world-wide.