A Commonplace Pearl

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
—Matthew 13:45-46

Dear Christian, you are God’s favorite child! Period. But, most of us have made it commonplace.

The term ‘commonplace’ has come down to us today as meaning “a usual or ordinary thing”. However, you know me and how much I love history; there is a story here. The word ‘commonplace’ comes from the emerging usage of notebooks. More specifically it originates with the production of paper in Europe during the Renaissance.

As paper became more accessible, people began making more notes and notebooks. One such creation was Commonplace Books. During the Renaissance and after, people would jot down snippets of knowledge in a commonplace. It was a way to consolidate knowledge (quotes, poems, verses, etc.) into categories readily accessible to the reader. However, over time, these snippets began to be regarded as trivial. In other words, people wrote down wise thoughts, but did not own them nor live them. They began to be seen as tripe knowledge, where the beholder of such was no better off despite the wisdom they held.

Thus, today, commonplace refers to something ordinary.

One of the earliest usages of Commonplace Books was in the collection of Biblical verses around a topic. I will provide an example here. If you assimilate just a few of the verses about who you are as a child of God you will find…

In Christ you are:

Chosen by God - John 15:16
A Child of God - John 1:12-13
Completely forgiven - Colossians 2:13
Totally loved - 1 John 4:16
Righteous - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Accepted in His sight - Ephesians 1:6
Holy and without blame - Ephesians 1:4
Created for good works - Ephesians 2:10

And these are just a few of the verses that could be in your commonplace notebook. However, rather than understanding them and the magnitude of how they impact our life, we have made them commonplace in the modern understanding of the word. It’s just an ordinary thing Christians say.

How tragic! Do you not understand that you are in Christ! He is in you! You are a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Christ was the pearl of great worth, for which we sold everything to acquire! How much more are we the prodigal child that He runs to embrace and celebrate for we once were dead and now are alive again? (Luke 15:32)

I’m an challenged this week with the commonplace ideas I hold onto. I’m challenged to consider them anew. I’m challenged to never consider them as ordinary, but to understand how truly significant they are in my life. I acquired the pearl of great price (Christ), and in doing so, I have become a person of great wealth. I am a “new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. There is nothing you can do to make God love you less. You are who you are in Christ because He has made you so. It is all about Him, not you.

I challenge you: has the commonplace of God’s truth become “commonplace” in your life? Have you allowed all that you know about your relationship with Him to become ordinary? Or are you willing to join me this week in experiencing the extraordinary person He called you to be? Nothing is more extraordinary. You are His favorite child! Be ALL He created you to be!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.