One day I went to a garbage dump where people throw away things they do not want. I was also throwing away some things and was surprised to see three children going through the piles of junk. They seemed to have picked up quite a collection.
They had picked out an old, dirty sweater, a big, torn Panda bear (almost as big as one of the little boys), an old doll with only one arm, and a beat-up drum. They paid no attention to me, since they were having lots of fun finding more “treasures.” Later that afternoon, while cutting my lawn, I stopped to watch the same three children coming down the sidewalk. They were playing parade now, and each one was carrying one of their special treasures. They were in a line. First came the bigger boy beating on the old drum. Behind him followed the little girl wearing the old sweater and carrying the old doll. Last in the parade was the little boy hugging the Panda bear tightly. It was a funny sight to watch, but again, they paid no attention to me. They were busy enjoying their parade.
Watching them, I wondered how many people there are just like those little children, playing in the ruins and junk of this world. So many think that this is happiness, and they do not even think about God and their sins. They only live for right now.
The children that I watched were as happy as they could be for a while, but it did not last long. The next day going to work, I saw the big, torn Panda bear, the old doll with only one arm, the beat-up drum, and the old dirty sweater beside a garbage can that was waiting to be picked up. The children’s mother had seen what these “treasures” really were—JUNK—and she had put them back in the garbage!
Many of our “treasures” are just the same. Today they seem so important, but tomorrow we will have forgotten all about them.
But there is one treasure that is more valuable than any other in this world. This treasure is the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for us. He is a Treasure that will never get old, for in Him is everlasting life, and those who know Him as their Saviour have this everlasting life as well.
Is Christ your Treasure? If not, you may have Him today if you will accept Him as your Saviour. He will wash all your sins away and guide your life in the way that He wants you to go. Then you will know what real happiness is.
ML-11/28/1982