One particular kid—let’s just call him Robby—had broken a finger recently and was not allowed to use that hand for any activities. So instead of working on our normal physical therapy activities, we went for a hike.

He lives on the outskirts of a rural town with lots of open acreage and farmland surrounding his home. We headed toward this one particular nearby mountain, and as we ascended, I spotted a deer antler shed.

(In our area, it’s common for people to go “shed hunting” every year in the spring as the deer and elk drop last year’s antlers to prepare for new antler growth.)

Most people who find an antler shed are quite excited. I was! When I picked up the shed and showed it to Robby, he could care less.

I told him how hard it was to find sheds, and it was great that we happened upon this one. He still didn’t care.

I sent a picture of him holding it to his parents, and they both quickly responded with excitement. He still didn’t care.

Once we returned home, his case manager was there, and she was extremely excited to see his antler. She told him that her family goes out every year looking for antlers. At this point, he showed a slight interest in the antler.

Jesus, when explaining the value of the Kingdom of Heaven, compares it to a treasure so valuable that a person would sell everything they own to obtain it. (See Matthew 13:44-46).

Sometimes I think that we, just like Robby with his antler shed, take the Kingdom of Heaven for granted. We live like we could take it or leave it. We skip out on church meetings because we are too tired, have company coming in, are too busy, have something else going on…add your own excuse here.

Just recently, I heard that a gentleman who had been attending our branch for about a year had decided to quit coming because “our services were too long.”

Could you imagine selling your home (and being homeless), selling your vehicle (and walking on foot), selling your clothes, appliances, toys (and having nothing) in order to obtain something even more valuable?

Jesus said that is the value of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Brother P.

P.S. Recently, the man who said that our services are too long started coming back to church. I know that a brother from the Mesa Branch of the church had fasted and prayed for him. Maybe that brother realized the value of the Kingdom of Heaven and did not want this man to miss out on the treasure.