The Greatest Treasure
By Emma (18)
When I was younger, I was always fascinated by broken glass. On walks through town with my parents, I would see these shiny green and orange pieces on the pavement or in the gutter and think they looked like gems. But every time I tried admiring these ‘gems’ close up, my parents would tell me no. When I tried to pick them up and take them home, they would say that these pieces of glass were dirty and that they were sharp. They said I would get hurt if I touched them or if I tried to hold them. Still, in true 5-year-old fashion, I would get annoyed at my parents for not letting me play with these newly discovered treasures.
I have since grown up and realised that these ‘treasures’ I admired so much were in fact just as my parents had seen them—littered shards of beer bottle. Not at all suitable for a child to play with in the gutter, and certainly not a treasure worth holding or taking home. Growing up has also resulted in me being able to see and experience more of this world. Walks through town with my parents have turned into walks through town with my friends, and suddenly everything the world has to offer is right at my 18-year-old fingertips.
I’ve found that this world does have some shiny things to offer—partying, wealth, beauty, ‘perfect relationships’, popularity, travelling, and more. Not all bad things, but some of these things I became reluctant to drop, even when I began hearing Jesus’ gentle no. And I didn’t understand why I was hearing this from Him. These pieces of my life seemed so valuable. Why would I let go of something that’s shiny and looks so good? Aren’t they worth holding onto? Then why are other people holding these things? Won’t I miss out without them?
In the same way my parents knew the value of the broken beer bottles, my Father could see the real value of these ‘gems’ of the world. He knew the hurt they could cause me if I was to hold onto them as if they were treasure—even if I couldn’t see it. The more I ignored these warning whispers from the Holy Spirit, the louder they got. And the louder they got, the more I found myself growing cold and trying to move away from the voice.
It didn’t get to the point where these broken things directly hurt me, even though they could have, but it was this new cold and disobedient part of my heart that brought the most hurt. Jesus never left me, but I stopped feeling His presence ‘sweeter and closer than everything else’ like I had before. This is because I wasn’t holding onto what He was saying closer than anything else.
By allowing other things into my heart to become my treasure, I was opening a way for insecurity, fear, and hopelessness to enter in and have the louder voice. My spirit felt sick, and it got to the point where I wanted to, and knew I needed to, do anything I could to fix it. And despite my childlike annoyance at the time, this meant listening to the words of the Father.
So over and over I gave everything to Jesus—even the things I wanted so desperately to hold. Every day I am trying to surrender to what the Lord has to say, to trust He knows best in His ‘no’, and to let go of broken pieces that I once deemed precious. And every time I finally decide to surrender and let go, I am able to hold on more tightly to the greatest treasure—the Father’s hand.
“… the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.” Psalm 12:6 (NIV)
Nothing this world has to offer is worth holding onto more than the Word of the Lord. He is worth surrendering everything for—my own desires and plans, hopes and security. I can never miss out when I’m following Him. Listening to His Word and walking closely with Him is not only the most precious gift, it will forever be the greatest treasure in my life.
PROMPT: What treasures are you holding onto? What do you sense the Father whispering to you about these treasures? Is there something He’s asking you to let go of.
PRAYER: Father, I have been drifting from You—drawn to the treasures this world is offering. But they don’t offer life. Only You do. It’s hard to let go, but right here in this moment, I choose to place my relationship with You above all else, to listen to Your voice above all else, and to stay close to You above all else. Show me where I am holding onto things that are not good for me. I will listen to Your gentle no, knowing You are a good Father. My relationship with You is my greatest treasure.
This story features in My Fatih Journey—Our Father’s Masterpiece.
