When I was 12 years old, I traded two Michael Jordan basketball cards to my neighbor for six of his “Pistol Pete” Maravich basketball cards. For me, this was a no brainer. I give up two cards of a player I didn’t really like, for six cards of my all-time hero. At the card shop, however, it was a very different story. Those two Michael Jordan cards I traded were very valuable, worth $250… A PIECE!
Everyone told me I was crazy for giving up such a treasure. To me, it didn’t matter. The trade was absolutely worth it because these were no ordinary basketball cards I got in the trade. They were “Pistol Pete” cards. I would have traded even more cards to get the ones I wanted the most.
It has been 20 years since I made that trade; if you were to ask me where those treasures were today, I wouldn’t be able to tell you. They are nowhere to be found. Funny, how something so valuable to me back then means almost nothing to me now.
Thinking back to those days reminds me of the parable in Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” In this story, Jesus teaches us that being with our Savior forever in glory is so precious and valuable, that we would be willing to give up everything just to have it. This is much bigger than basketball cards! In fact, if you owned every basketball card, comic book, piece of fine jewelry, and fancy car in the world, it still wouldn’t be as valuable as being an heir to the Kingdom of Heaven.
The problem we have (as Believers in this world) is that everyday, everyone and everything is competing to be our greatest treasure. People, places, and things are twisting our arms — trying to persuade us that there is something in this world more valuable than Jesus. The truth is that we have obtained a treasure that all the money in the world couldn’t buy. A treasure that God purchased through His Son and freely gave to us all. There is nothing more precious that this. Yet, we struggle every day to be satisfied with it.
Brothers and sisters, we must not only be able to sing, “take the world but give me Jesus” and “I would run for a thousand years”, but we must actually believe it! These aren’t truths we should neglect and lose interest in over time — like old trading cards. Our hearts should continue to proclaim that nothing in this world can compare to the treasure of Heaven. Like King Jesus said in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
What is most valuable to you? Will you take a moment and thank Jesus for the treasure that He is? Ask God to help you to see His Son as more valuable than anything.
Bryan
Posted in A Word from the Pastor