“Come see what I found.”
My cousin possessed a great imagination. He had to. He lived in the country in a time before technological advances had produced games and other things that now keep children indoors for hours on end. He had already discovered rolls of player piano music stuffed in boxes in my grandmother’s dusty attic—a place we rarely traversed because of the rickety stairway leading up to it.
Now, he wanted me to see something else he’d discovered. As our grandmother busied herself with cooking, we sneaked to the “front room,” a room she really didn’t like us to visit. We were mischievous boys always looking for devilment—and she knew it.
Quietly, my cousin lifted the top of the old, converted player piano and showed me a quart-sized Mason jar resting on top of the piano guts. I asked what it was. Instead of telling me, he carefully removed the jar, unscrewed the top, and removed the handkerchief my grandmother had stuffed inside.
As he gently unrolled the handkerchief, my eyes bulged, and my heart pounded. Inside were twenties, tens, and fives. Money, we later discovered, our grandmother had saved from selling fish to the neighbors.
My grandmother possessed a treasure only she knew about—or so she thought. Jesus also told a story about a treasure—one a man discovered hidden in a field. Keeping his find a secret, he sold everything he had and bought the field.
Jesus compares the treasure to the kingdom of heaven—the treasure we inherit when we recognize our sinfulness and run to the Savior.
But God doesn’t want us to keep His treasure to ourselves. The man who purchased the field did. My grandmother did. My cousin and I did. God wants us to share our wealth. Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross was enough to forgive the sins of humanity, and God wants everyone to enjoy His treasure.
Jesus said we should be willing to give up everything for this precious treasure He offers. Whatever keeps us from enjoying it isn’t worth our time and effort.
Have you discovered life’s greatest treasure? If so, tell someone about it.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
(For more devotions, visit Christian Devotions.)
Martin Wiles lives in Greenwood, SC, and is the founder of Love Lines from God. He is a freelance editor, English teacher, pastor, and author who has been published in numerous publications. He also serves as Managing Editor for both Christian Devotions and Vinewords.net. He is the author of six books. His most recent book, Don’t Just Live...Really Live, was released in November 2021. He and his wife are parents of two and grandparents of six. He can be contacted at [email protected].