The Bible teaches us that as followers of Christ, we have a treasure inside us. In a world that teaches us that our value is found in external factors such as our looks, our physical fitness, our net worth, and other materialistic things, it’s important to remember that each of us have treasure inside us. As a child of God, one of the most important things we can do is to share that treasure with the people around us.
If you were asked to explain what you are worth, how would you go about answering that question? For most of us, our default reaction is to start talking about what we do for a living, how much money we have in the bank, the size of our home, the type of car we drive, and various other materialistic measurements of our value. In some cases, we may view our value based on how we look, what kind of physical condition we’re in, or some other physical trait. Still, in other cases, you may be inclined to measure your worth by the role that you play in the lives of others. Maybe you would respond by saying that you’re a good spouse, a great parent, a caregiver for an elderly family member, or some other role.
While there is certainly nothing wrong with enjoying the fruits of your labor, taking care of your physical appearance, or successful fulfilling the roles that others need you to fill, it’s important that God’s people remember that our value is not measured by anything that can be counted, seen, or quantified. Instead, the Bible teaches us that we have treasure inside of us, and one of the greatest things we can do is to share that treasure with others.
2 Corinthians 4:7 (TPT)
We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours.
In his second letter to the Corinthian church, Paul discussed the treasure that lives inside every believer. Yes, we are jars of clay (some translations refer to us as “earthen vessels). This lines up with the Scriptural principle that we are all ultimately a product of the “dust of the earth” (Genesis 3:19). However, our true value is not found in the dust that we’re made of. Paul is clear about the fact that there is nothing spectacular about us in our natural state. However, we can rejoice in the fact that God has placed a treasure inside us, and when that treasure is shared with others, it points to the fact that the power truly belongs to God.
However, nobody finds a treasure and then sits on it. Once they’ve reaped the benefits of it, they’re eager to share the value of that treasure with others. In the same vein, we’ve already reaped the benefits of the treasure inside us when we received the free gift of Salvation from God. Now, it’s up to us to share the news of that treasure and the power that it provides with those around us.
So, what treasures are you carrying? The answer to that question may leave you astounded.
The Treasure of Reconciliation
2 Corinthians 5:18-20 (TPT)
And God has made all things new, and reconciled us to himself, and given us the ministry of reconciling others to God. In other words, it was through the Anointed One that God was shepherding the world, not even keeping records of their transgressions, and he has entrusted us to the ministry of opening the door of reconciliation to God. We are ambassadors of the Anointed One who carry the message of Christ to the world, as though God were tenderly pleading with them directly through our lips. So we tenderly plead with you on Christ’s behalf, “Turn back to God and be reconciled to him.”
Reconciliation is the act of bringing two beings that are far apart together. Think about a bridge that connects two pieces of land over a large body of water. That bridge serves as a means of reconciliation between the two pieces of land. In the same way, when we were still sinners, we were far from God. The only way that we could be reconciled to Him was through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary.
However, once we’ve received the gift of reconciliation to God, the Bible teaches us that our work is only just beginning. Once we’ve received reconciliation, we’re called to bring that same message of reconciliation to others. Obviously, we can’t reconcile others to God, but in the same way that you would tell someone how to cross the bridge to get to the other piece of land, we can share the message of reconciliation with others.
The fact that you’ve been reconciled to God is a treasure. Now it’s up to you to share that treasure with people around you who have yet to accept His gift of salvation.
The Treasure of Hope
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (TPT)
We view our slight, short-lived troubles in the light of eternity. We see our difficulties as the substance that produces for us an eternal, weighty glory far beyond all comparison, because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.
Hope is one of the most powerful things that we have access to. However, our hope is not found in the things that go on around us. Our hope is not rooted in an economy that can crumble with little to no notice. Our hope is not rooted in a politician or a leader, as they are as fallible as we are. Instead, our hope is rooted in the truths that we find in God’s Word.
We have hope that this world is not all that there is. We have a hope that there is an eternal life waiting for us once this life is over. Most of all, we have a hope that in that eternity, the things that robbed us of our joy are forgotten, and that they are not even worthy to be compared with what is waiting for us.
Today, make the decision to share the treasure of hope with others. There are countless people around you who have no hope, simply because they haven’t accessed the treasure that you have inside. Make the commitment to share that hope with others today.
The Treasure of Love
1 Corinthians 13:13 (TPT)
Until then, there are three things that remain: faith, hope, and love-yet love surpasses them all. So above all else, let love be the beautiful prize for which you run.
Our salvation is the result of God’s love for all of humanity. John 3:16, the most quoted Scripture anywhere in the Bible, speaks of the love that God has for us. Motivated only by His love for us, He offered the very best that He had to offer when He allowed His Only Son to serve as the sacrifice for our sins. While there have been great forces that have changed the course of human history over the years, none of them are as powerful as God’s love.
Once we accept God’s love for us, it results in our love for Him, and our love for others. That love, the kind of love that makes sinners want to give up their sinful behaviors, is the greatest treasure that we can share with people around us.
Love isn’t always the easiest treasure to share with others, especially when they aren’t exactly lovable. However, once we have embraced the treasure of His love, it’s only natural for us to love others, regardless of how unlovable we may consider them.
A Closing Prayer:
God, thank You for the treasures that You have placed inside me. Today, help me to be more committed to sharing those treasures with people around me. Help me to be a vessel of reconciliation, hope, and love to everyone that I come in contact with. In Christ’s name I ask these things, Amen.