We spend much of our lives chasing after things. When we are young, we are in pursuit of the woman we want to become our wife. Then, we go after things we hope will bring us status and recognition, from our degree, to our job, our house, our family, our church, to everything else we think we can possess. We spend our spare time in pursuit of greater thrills, a faster car, the best food or drink, seeing our team win, obtaining the ultimate collection, or any other hobby to distract us from the boredom of life. We are constantly hunting down the next biggest thing that gets in our sights, or that seems to elude us. To what end? At what point do we say, ‘that is enough, I have my trophy and my crown.’ Or are we constantly chasing down the next best thing till the day we die?
Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done and what I had toiled to achieve, everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind; nothing was gained under the sun. Ecclesiastes 2:11
Recently, I heard about a treasure that was hidden in the Rockies by a rich, old man who then gave some clues to its whereabouts. He now watches with glee as people from all around try to track it down and regularly ask him for more clues to help them narrow down the search. There is something in the heart of man that is sparked when we have the chance to find something of great value with just a little work on our end. The ability to ‘get rich quick’ is what motivates many to leave their home in search of greener pastures, to head to California or Alaska with gold fever, to buy the next lottery ticket, or to send in money to the telemarketer in hopes of finding the secret to great wealth. The promise or hope of what might be is often greater than the reality that awaits when the pursuit has ended.
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:21
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Matthew 13:44
Where do you invest most of your resources? When you look at where you have spent most of your time, energy, and money over the past 5-10 years, what fruit has come from it? For most of us, it is a mixed bag. We can probably find things that were a good return on our investment, whether financially, or in time spent with others where we both grew. There are probably other things we invested in which left us feeling empty or with more regret than anything when we look back on how it turned out. Maybe there is as much to be learned from our bad investments as there is from our good ones. As much as we keep trying, do we ever fully get it?
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. Revelation 3:17
What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? Matthew 16:26
Little do many realize that we have stumbled on the greatest treasure we can find in this life, when we come to know Christ and what he has done for us on the cross. When you find the truth wrapped up in this mystery, the more you investigate and discover, the more rewarding it is. Even greater than the reward we can obtain for ourselves, is the fact that even greater returns are found when we share this treasure with others. It is like a chest filled with gold and each time someone goes back and takes more from it, there is always more to be found. What is more valuable than that?
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8
Celebrating the Wealth found in Christ,
Clark
