Treasure attracts most people at some time in their lives. There are TV shows about treasure hunting, as well as movies, books, and oral history. I was more interested in treasure when I was much younger.
It is easy to capture the imagination of a child with enticements. When one comes to understand that real life involves hard work, and it is not often “fair,” discouragement might set in. That is when treasure begins to move into the realm of intangible fiction.
Our Maker, however, has a different view of treasure. It might include gold and precious gems, but spiritually, it more often aligns with character and who we say our Father is.
Character development, far more often that not, comes through challenges and suffering. It is in these situations that we have to make choices. These choices begin to define us, first to ourselves, then to those around us. All the while, God is close at hand to help when we ask. We learn to welcome trials, however painful, because of the value in the lessons. James 1:2-4; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7.
Understanding that we are children of the King of Kings, and we are forgiven by the blood of the Lamb slain in our place, is when the eternal treasure begins to show in our lives. We become the light that the world needs.
In 2 Corinthians 4, Paul suggests that the light of our Maker is the treasure we are actually longing for. “6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.” At first glance we may look like everyone around us, but in reality we are living treasures.
Paul continues to talk about hardships and persecutions he and his companions faced in their ministries. They survived by focusing beyond the worlds gold and beyond the trials. Not only that, they became more than survivors. They became over-comers and conquerors, full of otherwise unimaginable treasures.
“16 So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. 17 For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, 18 as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
What sort of treasure do we want? Honestly, both would be ideal! Our Maker loves us more than we can grasp. Because of that, we do get to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the Living.
My prayer is that I, and each of you, will increasingly understand that we are the treasure.
Does this change anything for you? As always, I love the dialogue.
