Treasures.

"Give me the luxuries of life and I will willingly do without the necessities."

-Frank Lloyd Wright

"Search for them (God's instructions) as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God."

-Proverbs 2:4-5

I love to go to flea markets and junk shops. I look for an odd assortment of things because I have an odd assortment of friends and family and seek items for them as well. As I look for fire trucks, dishes, cows, bunnies, teddy bears, keys, costume jewelry, and Coke and Pepsi collectables, I am always reminded that the things I seek are often someone else's junk. Someone has said, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." That's really not true. Maybe we should change that quote to "One man's trash is another man's trash." It's all stuff that the seller no longer cares about or wants. Either way, it doesn't matter because people, like me, still pay money for it.

As I search, and I do search, my priority is electric trains. If and when I find trains I generally buy them. It's as simple as that. SoI dig through boxes, uncover stuff, and ask, "Do you have any electric trains?" I do some major searching and seeking, yes I do!

As I search for trains, I am reminded often (by the Spirit of God, I believe) that my seek and search missions for toy trains should never be greater than my seek and search missions into the Scriptures. I am grateful that we love and serve the God who allows his children to enjoy hobbies, flea markets, and Saturdays to go junking. I'm also grateful that God reminds his children often of the priorities and purposes in life that make life better now and eternally.

Here's the real picture: Someday every train I now possess will belong to someone else. If those trains are not important to that someone else, those valuable possessions may end up on tables at flea markets to be sold . . . cheap. Of course, the instructions I seek from God's Word are eternal! Love, wisdom, understanding, holiness, joy, peace, etc. will accompany me right into eternity. My trains and trash of other men, in the right priority and perspective, are all okay, fun, and keep me out of trouble (sometimes), but they are only temporary treasures. The hidden treasures of Proverbs 2:4 are found in the Word of God, not in flea markets and junk stores. And they are not temporary but eternal.

"For the Lord grants wisdom" (v.6)!

"He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him" (Proverbs 2:7-8).

Keep on searching!