Rocks and Pearls

Finding that pearl of great price, the thing you found in a field somewhere that you sold everything for, is such a mysterious pearl. To you, once you discover it, its beauty is obvious and compelling. But it doesn't take long to realize the world doesn't see the beauty. At least not right away. You feel kinda crazy, like you're standing there in front of them, holding it up for the first time, not realizing how vulnerable that act is until they don't see what you see. 

You first check, "Am I crazy?" 

You re-assess the pearl. 

"...no, I'm not crazy...it's still shiny and perfect..." 

You then wonder, "Are they trying to trick me? Do they see the beauty of this thing and are just pretending like it's not the most amazing thing they've ever seen?" 

But you discover many of them are interested in beauty and want to see it. 

"So...are they blind...?" 

You then have a choice. 

"Do I try and explain this pearl to them? Do I try to convince them of its value? Do I need them to see what it's worth?" 

Or there's the next option, "Do I hide this thing? Do I not let the world see it because it's too painful to present something so precious to me and have it not be cherished?" 

And then there's the next option, "Do I ignore this pearl entirely? Maybe I was wrong. Maybe what I think is beautiful isn't actually. Maybe I don't know what beauty is. Maybe I should move on with my life and forget about the pearl. It's stupid and doesn't matter, the world gets to define for me what is important and beautiful.

But let's say you're brave and honest and you decide to take the noble route of not pretending or hiding, you decide to draw the line in the sand with you on the pearl's side. You end up feeling like you're standing in front of the world holding a rock, trying to convince them it's something else. You feel crazy. But you know you'll feel crazier trying to pretend you don't have a pearl of great price. So you stand there, looking stupid. People call you crazy, weird, dramatic, high-maintenance, irresponsible, selfish, arrogant, hyper spiritual, narcissistic...dangerous. What is left for you to do? How many times must you make the choice? This thing IS beautiful. It must be put on display. Like light, it's not meant to be hidden. You can't bury it. 

So you stand there, holding what they think is a rock and you tell them what you see. You tell them this thing is kind, brave, smart, gentle, peaceful, patient, good, important...beautiful. 

The most mysterious and offensive thing is the field you found this pearl in was inside of yourself. Amidst dirt and weeds and obscurity...there it was. Its opulence and luster were more than you could bear. 

You share this pearl with the world and can’t help but honor it because in it you see God. HOW could you have found Him there? HOW? HOW??? 

So you stand there, holding what they think is a rock. You realize you can’t force them to see anything. You can’t convince them of its beauty. They have to want to see it. All you’ve been asked to do is let it shine. “When the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?”

Can you stand there? 

This journey has been one of the most painful and difficult paths I have walked in my life. It has been the scariest and the MOST rewarding. I know what it’s like to be so aware of beauty and greatness coming up from inside of you and not know how to translate and export that to the world around you.

So here’s what I’ve done. I’ve rallied some of my team members together and we designed a live program for people to join to discover what they’re truly made of and actively be that person in their lives. It’s called “Living Your Legend.” If you’re ready to face the scary parts of your heart, brave the risk of presenting what you find beautiful to the world and champion other people on the same journey, this program is for you. If you’re interested in learning more, email us at contact@mikemaeshiro.com with “Living Your Legend” in the subject line. It’s time, isn’t it? Let’s go.