Proverbs 3:13-14. 13Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding, 14for the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold.
What is the most valuable thing that you own?
Did you immediately think of a material possession? Your home? Your car? Maybe something with a bit more sentimental value? Here in Proverbs 3, Solomon would say that wisdom is the most valuable thing you can obtain in life, and that understanding is far more valuable than silver and gold.
Jesus would say it this way, “What does it profit a person if they gain the whole world but lose their own soul?” Jesus was obviously agreeing with Solomon, warning us that we can try to get more and more things in this world but in the process we can fail to trust him for what we need. Especially our need for the non-material graces of life, like forgiveness, kindness, and mercy.
Sadly, we are all so prone to make the greatest mistake a person can make in this life – gaining the riches of earth while neglecting the riches of heaven. We live in a world that thinks that making as much money as possible before dying is the path to happiness. Consumerism and authenticity walk hand in hand in our western culture. To be your true self you must never deny yourself anything you want.
But Proverbs says that real happiness (being blessed) comes from the wisdom of fearing God and trusting him with all our heart and knowing him in all your ways. This relationship of faith in God is the pearl of great price, the hidden treasure in a field, our greatest profit.
Matthew 13:44-45. 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. 45“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, 46who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
Our union with Christ has exposed the hidden treasure. Knowing God, trusting God, fearing God are no longer abstracts, they are materialized in Jesus. To find Jesus is to find everything good and valuable in this life. To find Christ is to find the hidden God and the hidden kingdom of God. Christ is the invisible made visible, both TO us and IN us.
Now that we have the greatest treasure, Christ in us, what’s left for us to do? Spend wisely. Or we might say, give it away wisely. When you have an infinite treasure, and can never be poor again, there is no reluctance to give away freely what you have been freely given. Christian, you have nothing to lose in loving freely, forgiving freely, sharing freely, serving freely, except your selfishness and pride of course.
Today is a great day to start living life without fear of loss, without hoarding, and without stinginess, remembering the words of our Savior, it is more blessed to give than to receive. When you know that you have already received it all in Jesus, there’s nothing left to do but give it all away.
You: What do you value most in this life?In what way might you be seeking material wealth over knowing Christ?
You in Christ: in what way is being in Christ an infinite treasure?
Christ in you: How can you give away the treasure that is being freely given to you in Christ?
Pray: Father, knowing you in Christ is my treasure. He is my profit. Help me to be wise and trust you more than worldly success. Amen.
To Live is Christ 