Looking for Treasure? It's All Around Us!

[HKHaugan]

Looking for Treasure? It’s All Around Us

Speaking to an audience in Melbourne Florida recently, Tim Tebow brought them a clear truth about what it means to be a disciple of Jesus where we are.  “You’re not in it alone,” Tebow said. “Church isn’t a building we go to on Sunday. It’s people we get to do life with every day.” 

 “It’s people we get to do life with every day.”  He’s right.  Think about the believers we know and are in contact with on a daily or frequent basis.  Or, how about the people we know that may not be believers but just may be someone ‘we’d like to do life with?’  They are the ones we can share friendship with that might become believers with prayer, time and patience.  Jesus tells two parables that enable us to see them as treasures:

 “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.

 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it (Mt.13:44-46).”

 Both of these parables are spiritual indicators to be read spiritually and carried out spiritually.  Think of how and where Jesus spent His time.  It was with His disciples who had to become believers and those who couldn’t have cared less but were, like Matthew the tax collector, wrapped in their own survival mode.  Jesus saw in both treasure hiding in a field of their self-absorption but images of God who could become what they were designed to be. 

 If you follow Jesus in His travels, there was not anyone beyond His compassion.  Pharisee, priest, sick, blind, neglected, widow, royalty, religious, soldier, leper, all had His attention.  Everyone He met along the way was an object of His grace, truth and love.  Probably no more clear evidence of the impact He had on people was the summary statement of the centurion and his detachment at the Cross who said, “Truly, this was the Son of God (Mt.27:54).”

 Now back to those treasure parables.  If our focus can be the same as Jesus, which was automatic with Him, and see everyone first as spiritual beings, our purpose is set.  Everyone we meet, whether believer or non-believer, friend or enemy, employer or employee, man, woman, child or stranger, is a treasure.  Our spiritual focus sets the mood and atmosphere for mind and heart to move into any and all circumstances.

 Think of it like an exercise program.  You spend time warming up, stretching, getting your muscles ready, your mind on the specifics in the routine.  Spiritual exercise is no different.  You warm up with Scripture that restores your focus from self to Jesus.  It begins with praising the Lord and gathering your heart response for His service.  In the process you give up what the world tells you is important and place yourself under His guidance.  Then you thank Him for the opportunities He will set before you as you move about.  A good passage to set your day is this one:

 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:4-8).”

 That’s spiritual exercise in a nutshell and the promise of treasure will be realized unexpectedly, right in front of you, while you are on the way.