Treasure it

But he knows where I am and what I’ve done. He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors. I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints, not once swerving from his way. I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken, and not just obeyed his advice—I’ve treasured it. (Job 23:10-12)

Devotion is the character trait which really cannot be "seen" in the way we dress, what we drive, or the things we amass around us. It is "seen" more in the people we hang around with, the way we spend our time, and the attitude of heart which is exhibited in the actions we take toward others. Devotion is just a synonym for love, evident in where we find our foundation for life, who it is we emulate in our actions, and what it is we commit to without wavering. Devotion also determines our delight - there is very little in which we take delight that does not first begin with an appeal to our hearts. Throughout scripture, devotion is linked with determination - for what we come to value we develop a strong determination to obtain and make our own. God is always searching for even the smallest hint of us being willing to align with his heart. When he sees this tiny bud of devotion, he begins to nurture it until it becomes a fully adorned "tree" of dedication - anchored with three strongly attached roots of commitment, allegiance, and loyalty.

When our roots are solid, the growth produced and the ability to withstand the various influences which seek to uproot us are evident. If we "align" ourselves within "good soil", the chances of giving into every wind of change which comes across our lives is a little less likely. We will remain securely rooted in that which gives us "grounding". Even a tree firmly rooted will begin to grow "toward" the most influential "winds" in their life. This is where we need the "winds of devotion" to blow stronger than any other wind which might seek to change the course of our growth. One thing which consistently catches my attention is the way trees grow in various regions. Trees often give into the "prevailing" winds in their lives. Devotion occurs when we determine which "wind" we will accept as "prevailing" in our lives. We can give into the winds of the times, or even the winds of circumstance. Nothing makes us grow as strong, tall, and "equally balanced" as the gentle breezes of the Holy Spirit in our lives! When we are determined to grow, not toward the "loudest" winds, but toward the gentle breath of God, we have a much more balanced growth!

It is really the heart of God that each of us "delight" in the tender care of his watchful "gardening" of our lives. We need those withered "branches" lopped off - for they only take up space, hindering other growth from appearing. We need the soil "turned over" on occasion, because we only get new growth when the soil of our hearts finds new "oxygenation" on occasion! Delight is really a result of our determination and our devotion. I guess you sum all three of these into one word - desire! Job said it well, "I have not just obeyed his advice - I've enjoyed it - treasured it!" He had made a determination to make God his primary desire! He delighted in the counsel of God - determined to have it affect his course. He had devoted himself to God's plans - no matter how difficult they may have seemed at the moment (and heaven knows Job faced many a tough blow in life). He made no attempt to remove himself from being aligned with God's best - no matter that "all hell was breaking loose" around him. He was devoted, determined, and he took great delight in the things and choices which pleased the one he had the greatest desire to please - not himself, not his peers, but God! Now, that is something which "tickles" the heart of God! Just sayin!

At the end of it all

What do your 'treasures' reveal about you? About your focus in life? About who or what you consider to be important? Did you realize what you treasure most is a good indication of where you will invest the greatest amount of your time and talent? If your 'treasure' is in your family, you likely spend a great deal of time with members of your family, helping them to complete tasks, enjoying leisure pursuits together, and even just 'hanging' in front of the screen watching a good movie at times. If your 'treasure' is in your career, you likely invest a great deal of time, talent, and sometimes even money into that career. You better your education, so you are more proficient at what it is your are doing, looking for the next big move you can make to stay relevant and 'in demand' within your job market. If you don't know where your 'treasure' is, look at where you spend the majority of your time, or focus the greatest part of your attention - that is your treasure.

“Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or—worse!—stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being." (Matthew 6:19-21)

Stockpile anything and eventually you will be called a 'hoarder'! While mom was alive, I stockpiled hard candies because she enjoyed sucking on them to keep her mouth moist as her meds made her mouth quite dry. Now that mom is gone, what do I do with a stockpile of butterscotch and peppermint hard candies? She also liked applesauce with her meals, so I stockpiled those tiny cups of the stuff, only to find when I looked at them a couple months ago, they had long since passed their date of safe use! Some stockpiles might just make sense and be quite important because we use the items so frequently - like toilet paper - but when we put a lot of 'stuff' into our lives and cannot really use it before it is no longer of use, then it is just hoarding! We can be guilty of 'over-stuffing' our lives with things and even relationships - all because we don't want to have any empty space. 

Think about what you 'stockpile' in your life. At first, you may not think 'stockpiling' relationships is all that bad - we can never have too many friends, right? The answer to that comes in considering the 'justice' we are doing to each of those relationships by the amount time we invest into them. Some are quite casual - a golf game here or there, an occasional meal out, and perhaps even a couple of calls or texts a month. Others are everyday occurrences - we never go one day without some form of 'reaching out' to the other person. I daresay we do 'justice' to the latter, but not likely the former. It is okay to have lots of friends - but we will have some we hold closer, cherish more, and really know to be our true 'treasures' in life.

Now, when it comes to our relationship with Jesus, I have to meddle a little. How's that one stacking up when it comes to being considered a 'treasure' in your life? Remember, I ask myself these questions before I even pose them to you! Sometimes my life reveals that 'treasure' has slipped down the list a little just because my focus has been taken away from time with him and is being put into other things. I have to pull back sometimes from other 'places of investment' in order to really have the time I need with him, but it is never a wrong choice to make! You and I need that time with him each day - no other 'stockpile' of treasure will quite meet the inward needs of our soul and spirit like spending time alone with him. At the end of it all, what treasures will you have to present at his feet? 

I hope we all have a 'pantry full of treasures' to present - solid relationships that were made stronger through God's grace; careers that flourished because Christ was put first in everything we did; homes that knew the peace of God because we set the tone by that quiet time we took with him each day. We will all have something to present at his feet - something we will view as our 'treasure' - make sure it is the treasure that moth and rust does not corrupt! Just sayin!

I think I have separation anxiety!

Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions. Do what I say and you'll live well. My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it! Write it out on the back of your hands; etch it on the chambers of your heart. Talk to Wisdom as to a sister. Treat Insight as your companion. They'll be with you to fend off the Temptress—that smooth-talking, honey-tongued Seductress. (Proverbs 7:1-5 MSG)

Scripture speaks of Wisdom and Insight as a person - the person of Jesus Christ. God's primary purpose in telling us of the 'person' of Wisdom and Insight is for us to get to know Jesus' character a little better. The character of a person is what we sometimes call the 'real person'. A person's character is more than their personality - it is made up of their code of moral conduct and even their consistency in being honest or true in their actions. Keeping the commandments of God has great reward - a reward of developing the character traits we so often read about when we discover the truths of Christ within scripture. All of character is formed by the keeping of a two-part command: 1) Do and 2) Treasure. One is an action, the other a condition of the heart that influences the action. The reward of the action - life will be well for us.

There is this wisdom that comes from wise counsel and then there is the wisdom that comes from the Word of God - both combined are to be as precious to us as our eyesight. I remember a time when I had to have one eye patched for over a week due to a problem with the cornea of my eye. The pain in my injured eye was so significant that the other eye had a "sympathetic" response to the pain, making it almost impossible to keep my good eye open and responsive to stimuli. The doctor was uncertain if my eyesight would be affected by the injury to the cornea and he actually had nothing hopeful to offer me as I recovered. I naturally felt anxious about the possibilities of losing my eyesight or having some permanent impairment from this ulceration that had formed. Why? We depend on our eyesight so very much. Yet, if we are totally truthful here, we almost take it for granted. There is a warning to us of taking God's leading and direction (his wisdom) for granted - whether it comes through the wise counsel of a friend, the tender nudges of the Holy Spirit, or the personal revelation of truth from the Scriptures - it is never to be taken for granted.

We are to talk to Wisdom as to a sister or brother; treat Insight as our companion. Think about the very nature of our Savior. He is closer to us than a sibling - as a matter of fact, he is our older sibling! My two grandsons are inseparable. The youngest follows after the oldest, getting into his "space" as much as humanly possible - even to the point of falling all over him with hugs and physical affection - and sometimes wrestling matches that don't always end up as well as he'd hoped. When they are separated - there is a tendency of the younger to want the oldest back. Is this is our relationship with Jesus? Are we earnestly "connected" to him as our sibling? Are we lavishing him with our affection and praise? Are we lost without him in our 'space'?

Jesus is our wisdom. He has the ultimate knowledge of what is true and yearns to show us truth at every turn. He knows what is right and he couples that with the understanding of what actions produce right living. It is nice to have a "big brother" to look up to for direction in our lives. Treat Insight as your companion - what better companion to have than Insight. Jesus has the complete understanding of the motivation behind our every action. We don't even possess that on our own - if we did, we probably wouldn't have done half of the dumb stuff we have done in this lifetime! No wonder God urges us to spend time getting to know our "sibling", Christ Jesus! He wants us to have our lives deeply affected by the one who can reveal even the deepest secrets of our heart and bring true revelation of sound judgment into our circumstances. When we get to know Jesus with this kind of intimacy, we can be assured that we have all we need to avoid the tempting seductress we can easily call "sin" in our lives.

Let's get to know our "big brother", Jesus! Talking frequently with him and spending time in companionable enjoyment of his presence is not a short-cut to some 'special place', but it is a 'space' to be experienced as often as possible. Perhaps we will develop the heart of a loyal sibling, never wanting to be separated from him, always seeking him out, and never being afraid to get in "his space" as often as possible. Just sayin!

Most valuable

If you listen obediently to the Voice of GOD, you God, and heartily obey all his commandments that I command you today, GOD, your God, will place you on high, high above all the nations of the world. All these blessings will come down on you and spread out beyond you because you have responded to the Voice of GOD, your God: GOD’s blessing inside the city, GOD’s blessing in the country; GOD’s blessing on your children, the crops of your land, the young of your livestock, the calves of your herds, the lambs of your flocks. GOD’s blessing on your basket and bread bowl; GOD’s blessing in your coming in, GOD’s blessing in your going out. GOD will defeat your enemies who attack you. They’ll come at you on one road and run away on seven roads. GOD will order a blessing on your barns and workplaces; he’ll bless you in the land that GOD, your God, is giving you. GOD will form you as a people holy to him, just as he promised you, if you keep the commandments of GOD, your God, and live the way he has shown you. (Deuteronomy. 28:1-9)

We may not fully recognize the meaning of “blessing”. Webster describes “blessing” as anything that is conducive to our happiness or welfare. In other words, a blessing is something that is given or provided that directly provides for our protection and preservation. It is a thing that gives us a sense of approval and encourages us in difficult times. It is a sign to us that divine care is rendered in a loving, careful manner, seeing that every measure is taken to provide for our spiritual, physical, and material prosperity and happiness. We would do well to see that these blessings in our lives come directly from GOD, our God - they are not 'man-made'.

In exploring these various blessings or gifts promised, it comes without surprise that they are conditioned on the obedience of the one looking to God for these blessings. We do our part, and God does his. This is the basis of covenant relationship – there are conditions to be met. In order to fully understand, apprehend and appreciate the blessings in our lives, we need to be obedient to the revealed will of God as he has defined it in his Word. In so doing, we are given provisions beyond number, protection beyond our means, and deep-seated happiness that is not based on circumstance, but upon the sense of tremendous welfare we enjoy. We sometimes describe blessing in our lives as a “treasure”.

Treasures are wonderful things. They can be described as anything that we consider as a type of “wealth” that we could store up or hoard. Treasures are wealth of any kind or of any form that produce a sense of “richness” in our lives. They are more than money, more than flocks or herds, and definitely more than a fleeting thing enjoyed. A treasure is something held as precious, cherished, and prized. Treasures in the natural sense are often things “hoarded” for ourselves, kept for our own enjoyment or use. The treasures of God are never meant for self-gratification, or self-enjoyment. They are designed to be on display and to be put in use for his glory and honor. The treasures of God are given in generous measure to an obedient heart. In turn, what has abundantly been supplied is to be shared without measure. Perhaps the greatest blessing of all is that he is making us into a holy people – a provision that goes beyond my ability to comprehend or ability to provide in my own efforts.

God is in the work of making us each into something of extreme value – a treasure of his purpose. A thing of value is declared by the one who beholds it to be of worth, useful and important to the one that possesses it. In God’s eyes, we are a treasure trove – a valuable and productive discovery that he declares as "most excellent". As a result of his touch in our lives, we are declared to be something that is intrinsically valuable and desirable. He considers us to be of more value than any other possession he has. He declares us to be his riches – that which he esteems, prizes and regards highly. We are his treasures. Just sayin!

Diamonds - Rough, but still diamonds

The English novelist, William Makepeace Thackeray, wrote: "There are many sham diamonds in this life which pass for real, and vice versa." If you stop for a moment to consider the diamonds you have overlooked as you have gone through this lifetime, you might be surprised at what you discover. To me, I recount the 'diamonds in the rough' that have touched my life in ways some just might not understand. There were hugs from that child I worked with who could not speak more than a couple words due to his mental handicap that touched my soul deep down when I was feeling particularly lonely during my high school days - diamonds beyond value. Those giggles from the kiddos when they discovered some perfectly good way to sneak up on me and startle me with their shenanigans that just warmed my heart because they felt comfortable enough to be silly and free with me - they were diamonds indeed. Maybe even those moments of temper that emerged when someone didn't get their way, but in which we remained calm and made it through despite that initial outburst - diamonds beyond measure. It doesn't have to be 'shiny' to sparkle, nor does it have to be 'brilliantly cut' to radiate beauty - diamonds all start out 'in the rough'.

6 For the Lord grants wisdom! His every word is a treasure of knowledge and understanding. 7-8 He grants good sense to the godly—his saints. He is their shield, protecting them and guarding their pathway. 9 He shows how to distinguish right from wrong, how to find the right decision every time. 10 For wisdom and truth will enter the very center of your being, filling your life with joy. (Proverbs 2:6-10 TLB)

We don't always find treasure just because we are looking for it - sometimes it is discovered quite by accident! We might just realize how truly blessed we are when someone reminds us to have a totally blessed day. We could discover there is a blessing, even in the deepest place, that was hidden to us before, but suddenly we see a value far superior to anything else we take from that place. The treasure is found in the openness to discover it. Discovery is the process of recognizing it - it is the ability to 'see' what others don't see and 'hear' what others only casually receive. There is much to be said about discovering one's 'diamonds', but here are just a few thoughts today:

- What 'diamond' has God been working to reveal to you? It could be that you have been looking for the shiniest and most brilliant of gems, but right there before you is that diamond, all covered in mire and muck, just waiting to be unmasked. Sometimes we have to put a little bit of work into uncovering the true gems.

- When is God's opportune moment to bring 'diamonds' into our lives? It rarely is in those moments when we are 'on top of the world' and thoroughly 'on top of our game'. In fact, it may just be that the most magnificent diamonds are discovered when we are at one of our lowest points - because diamonds are 'dug from the earth' - they rarely just fall into our laps!

- Who has 'diamonds' to share? We often overlook those who don't quite seem like they have much to offer us in life - sometimes to our detriment. I have worked for years with the elderly - do you know how many diamonds I have met in this work? Thousands! I have been a teacher's aid with the mentally handicapped - do you suppose there were many diamonds there? Yup! Hundreds and hundreds. Remember - if you are always looking for the shiniest and easiest to find, you might just overlook the most valuable of diamonds! Just sayin!

Big Treasure

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth where they can erode away or may be stolen. Store them in heaven where they will never lose their value and are safe from thieves. If your profits are in heaven, your heart will be there too." (Matthew 6:19-21 TLB)

Someone once said our stumbles could be our greatest treasures. I pondered on that thought for just a while and began to really think about the times I have stumbled (and I don't have to think very far back to begin this journey!). What "treasures" came out of those moments? Sometimes it was the knowledge another stood right there with me, willing to go that extra length to see me "make right" what I was obviously making a pretty big mess of in the first place. At others, it was simply the knowledge I wasn't alone in the stumbling - others were tripping up on the exact same things! Yet, some of the greatest treasure I brought out of those times of stumbling were the ones that revealed just how much God's hand had been on me despite my choosing to take a path which would lead to my stumbling!

There are those who believe any path taken toward sin or compromise is really a path without God. The truth is that if we have said 'yes' to Jesus, it is impossible to travel that 'wrong path' without him right there alone with us. He is just not the one choosing the path at the moment - it doesn't mean he is any "less with us" as we go down it. As a young girl, I remember asking my dad about a pin he kept attached to the visor in the car. It went with us from one car to the next as the family traded in one to get another. It was the head and shoulders of a brass angel about two inches long, with her wings outstretched. In response, dad simply said she was there to protect us, that is until we exceeded the speed limit! At that point, she flew out the window! I never saw her 'fly', even when someone was clearly over the posted limit!

There are times we treat God as though he would "fly out the window" of our souls each time we speed down that pathway to compromise. In truth, he is holding onto us so tightly we don't collide with all those obstacles in our path as quickly as we might do should we be totally on our own! We don't realize he is still there, just like the 'angel pin' was still there on the visor. God isn't an 'abandoning' type - it is contrary to his perfect love to only 'be with us' when we are good and then leave us when we are not behaving so well! The greatest treasures have come in recognizing all the ways he didn't abandon me along that path - and how he helped me find my way back to the right one each and every time! Just sayin!

Too high, or too low?

The poet Edward Young reminds us, "Too low they build, who build beneath the stars." A building site is often the most significant part of the building. Too much on hard, impenetrable stone and the necessary foundation might not be as easily placed as one may imagine. The running of pipes to bring fresh water and take away waste is made all the harder when the ground is solid with impenetrable stone. To accomplish the placement of these, blasting may need to occur. The process is costly, loud, and riddled with all kinds of dangers. Too much shifting sand and the foundation will never be secure, for the ground beneath is subject to every flow of water from storms and every gust of wind. Sure, the building may go up, but will it stay up? Jesus reminds us to not lay up our treasures on this earth, but to look to what it is we can lay up in the heavens instead. Why? There are a whole lot of forces seeking to destroy or "take away" those earthly treasures - but there is a "guard" who keeps each one of our heavenly treasures secure!

“Don’t save treasures for yourselves here on earth. Moths and rust will destroy them. And thieves can break into your house and steal them. Instead, save your treasures in heaven, where they cannot be destroyed by moths or rust and where thieves cannot break in and steal them. Your heart will be where your treasure is." (Matthew 6:19-21 ERV)

We humans spend a great deal of time "storing up". I realize that every time I have to reorganize the pantry, or get rid of the stuff stacking up in the garage. It isn't always that we will have need of the stuff, it is that we don't know if we will need it again! Some time ago I developed a little system that helps me determine when something is not really needed in my life. You see, if I don't use it at least once a year for those "stored items", it goes. If I don't use it at least twice a year for those "closeted" items, it goes. I keep a jacket around, but don't use it more than a couple times a year because I live in a climate that doesn't warrant jackets too many days out of the year. Most of the time I get by with a sweater. I don't need more than one jacket, though, because it doesn't make sense to keep something that I won't use more than a couple times each year.

The stuff we "store up" on this earth can often get in the way of what it is we are "storing up" in the heavens. We can get so earthly focused that we miss out on what other blessings God has prepared for us in his presence. We get distracted, pulled away, and often totally miss how God wants to move in our lives. While I don't always do a good job of ridding my home of the stuff that gets "stuck in corners", I am getting better at it. It is made a little harder because I have an elderly mother who blended a lot of her stuff into my household when she came to live with me 9 years ago. Little by little, I have been able to weed out some of this stuff, but there is still stuff hanging around I don't think we will ever use. You likely know how that goes. It is hard to let go, especially when you are forced to pare down because you are "blending households". I wonder if God ever looks at us and shakes his head because we are so caught up in "blending households" (ours with his) and just won't let go of some stuff we call "treasures", but pale in comparison to what he has in store for us. Just askin!