Sunday, November 17, 2013

By: Rachelle Hitt Bilbo

 

Treasure and Truth

 

Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in The Lord. Live as children of light.

  

I recently read a peculiar story about a family in Lander, Wyoming that had gone to their local refuse dump to dispose of some unwanted family items that were either ruined or greatly abused. As they were emptying their junk into a large dumpster, the man of the home saw something that caught his eye. It was apparently an ornate, antique four-poster bed that had been left there by some other family.

Even though it was a bit worn and tattered, the man paid a small fee to acquire the bed from the refuse center.

As he and his wife were loading the bed posts, they began to question the weight of each one. The husband felt they were quite a bit heavier than he had imagined they would be. However, they finally got all the pieces loaded and drove home.

Once home, when the family picked up one end of the first bed post to unload, the finial at the top worked loose and slipped out of its socket. Thankfully, a nearby hedge broke the fall, catching the post.

 

Then, something caught the father's eye. A few silver coins tumbled to the ground near the base of the bush. After picking up the loose coins he looked in the opened end of the bed post and to his surprise there were more silver coins inside. With the help of his son, he picked up the opposing end and hundreds of silver, brass and gold coins came rolling out onto the lawn. After close inspection of the other three posts, they, too, were completely hollow and contained equal amounts of coinage.

 

My challenge to you today based off of this remarkable story is two-fold. First, always look at people and situations through the eyes of God. Where the average person sees hopelessness and worthlessness, God sees TREASURE and TRUTH. Never write people off...keep searching until you discover the value in them. Their lives and yours will be changed forever!

 

Secondly, always realize YOUR extreme value. Even if the circumstances you have faced in life or decisions you have made cause you to feel unworthy to be used by God, know that He sees us all in our darkness, in our lowest places and reaches in the dumpsters of life to pull us out....to shine like precious, valuable gold!

 

Dear Lord, Thank You for finding value in me when I can't see it in myself. Help me to see myself and others through Your loving eyes.

 

I thank You, my Jesus, for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life.

 

*Story used was originated by Paul Dietz.