Science for Laodicea

Imagine such a situation. I send you a letter stating that if you have back pain and you contact me, I can provide you with a therapeutic or preventive massage. Do I need to prove anything to you?

Suppose I give you an advertisement that if you order a vegetarian lunch from me, it will be at your home within 30 minutes. How would you act? I think you would make a note of these services and use them if necessary.

You would believe that I am capable of doing what I can do and selling you what I offer.

Our dear Lord addresses us with a similar statement, wanting to draw our attention to what He has.

Moreover, He asserts that we do not know ourselves, and everything we say about ourselves is a lie. Personally, the Savior told me that I am poor and miserable, and very wretched, and also blind and naked. I never considered myself like this. I thought this was about you, friends. But Jesus looked into my heart and said that I am exactly like this. I'll be direct, I had no idea about this. It all turned out to be true. Besides, I was called lukewarm. The most difficult thing for me was to admit that this is indeed so. But to admit means to agree to somehow get out of such a state, to decide something. The problem with Laodicea is that it hears rebuke, partially agrees with it, but does nothing. It does not follow any of Jesus' advice. And He dreams about this. Simply recognizing that you are wretched and lukewarm is not what the Lord expects. He wants me to become rich, clothed, wise, seeing, hospitable, faithful, pure, and communicative with Him. He wants me to learn to possess His gifts. He longs to fill my life with what will enrich me in every way. And the Savior offers me exactly what He has in infinite abundance.

The essence of the message is that I not only receive information about its meaning but also understand what each symbol and word means, how all this relates to me, how to acquire it, and how to use these treasures after buying them.

Our world often holds promotions and sales where very expensive things are offered with a significant discount. Sellers have already made a turnover and received their profit, and they need to clear warehouses to fill them with new goods, so they reduce prices on everything. And happy people run to buy these things. I think we have all gone through something similar. It's good to buy what you dreamed of and saved for, but if you give money only because the item is cheap, and then this thing just collects dust, you realize that something is not right. You have been deceived.

But imagine a situation. You are offered to become the owner of a pearl the size of a tennis ball, and the price is everything you have. No matter how expensive your property is, the price of the offered pearl is infinitely hundreds of times more than what you can give. There are no analogues to such a treasure in the world. What might I think? Perhaps I will decide that I am either being teased or the seller is mentally challenged because he gives such a treasure for my junk. But he does not look stupid. Meanwhile, the seller claims that I am very poor. He asks for everything I possess and hold dear. He makes it clear that such a price suits him and that He offers me much more. And He is indeed determined to sell it to me. And I give consent, I give everything. I say "yes". As a result, the exchange occurs, the sale takes place. I become the owner of the pearl.

And here I stand with this treasure, look at it and rejoice. But what to do with it next, I do not know. I want to eat, I'm cold, night is approaching, I have nowhere to sleep. What to do? I am left alone with the pearl. I have special protection from the seller, which will not allow anyone to rob me. The value of this pearl is estimated at a thousand trillion dollars, but no one has enough money to buy it from me. And I own it. And I need to somehow live with this further. I enter a hotel and ask for a room, they name the price, and I show them what I possess. They are surprised that such a rich person has visited them and offer me all their services for free, happy that I have chosen them. I ponder and move on. My new treasure opens doors to places I never dreamed of. Powerful people of the world, noble people, representatives of government and business are ready to receive me, and any society wants to see me in their midst. Of course, there are evil and envious people among them, but I do not pay attention to them. I notice that I have a huge influence on people's minds, and, in this connection, I begin to realize my entire responsibility. I learn to speak wise and useful things. The rumor about my treasure goes before me, and many people want me to visit them and let them admire my pearl. They are happy that such a rich person as I have visited them.

I settle in a spacious house where I begin to receive people and conduct seminars on how to become truly rich.

And one day I hear a knock and a gentle voice. It's the pearl seller. I open the door and let him in. I invite him to dinner, and we begin to communicate. He tells me about the huge influence of my treasure, its features, how to properly use this wealth, and much more. I watch him and learn. How kind he is, how delicate and polite, he does not ask unnecessary questions, does not impose anything, gently bypasses sharp corners and rejoices in everything, praising me and guiding me for all occasions of life. How good it is with him! Much of what he tells me, I already understood, but communicating with the seller, I was able to systematize all processes and consciously act, using my wealth, knowing its power and possibilities. And wherever I turn to him, everywhere I become in demand, needed, and desired. Possessing this treasure has made my soul pure from petty things, it has enlightened my consciousness. I have become rich in my thoughts and feelings. Now I am able to communicate with dignity with kings. My past surprised many, but it has gone into oblivion, and I live in the present, happily looking to the future. Meeting poor people, I both comfort and delight them. I tell them about the seller and direct everyone to him, assuring that he will accept and enrich everyone who comes to him, that he does not drive anyone away. His treasures will be enough for everyone. But he has one condition for each person – he exchanges his wealth for all your property, for everything that is valuable to you. He does not haggle and evaluates your condition himself, offering to give in return everything he has.

I see that many have gone for this deal, but having become owners of the treasure, they have hidden with it in their new homes and enjoyed their new wealth alone. And when the seller came to visit them, they were even afraid to let him into the house and communicated with him through the intercom. And then strange things happened to them: their new wealth became worthless and began to deteriorate, causing ridicule and disgust. They did not know what to do with the new treasure, and they did not want to learn how to use it.

And I realized that the seller is not just trying to make us rich, but he also has a plan to teach us how to use this treasure. I will learn.

Reflection Questions for this Chapter

1. What was revealed to you in this chapter?

2. What is more important: understanding the message to Laodicea, accepting it, living in it, or using its advantages?

3. Why is it important to know how to use the purchased treasure?

4. What does the Lord expect from those who have given Him consent to the "trade deal"?

5. How do you imagine the learning process in owning Heavenly goods?

6. In what way do the goods presented by Jesus make me rich, seeing, and clothed?

7. Please read Matthew 13:45-46; Luke 12:21,32; James 5:1-6 in light of this chapter.