The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines treasure as
1a (1) : wealth (as money, jewels, or precious metals) stored up or hoarded <buried treasure> (2) : wealth of any kind or in any form : riches
b : a store of money in reserve
2: something of great worth or value; also : a person esteemed as rare or precious
What is our treasure? Something we consider as our most precious possession. As Golum always says over and over to the ring that consumes his whole life in the movie Lord of The Ring , " My precious..."
The more I think of it the list becomes longer. For me it would be my God..the one who always accompanies me anytime and anywhere, then my family, friends, ministry, job, my dream. The lists continues to material things. I have enough savings in the bank, insurance, my old car, house. From all these possessions which ones I consider as my treasure? Or do I still have hidden treasure that I haven't realized yet?
The funny thing is sometimes we don't realize something is that precious for us until we loose it. So maybe the test to determine my treasure is the "lost test". Which possession will leave me paralyzed should I loose it?
During my 11 years living in Jakarta, loosing things happens a bit too many for me. Someone took my bag with everything in it when my car broke down at the side of the road. I lost my mobile phones three times, my wallet two times and the thieves used my credit card to shop. These loses left me shocked for a time being, but I always say to myself, " Everything I lost God can restore them back to me." And until today God has proven true to His promise. I am still alive today, still able to pay my mortgage, credit card bill, household errands and my monthly needs.
Then my scenario is reenacted on the next thing in my list. My family and friends..what would I do without them. My dreams, my career, my other possessions. Finally I come to this thought..
The things that we can acquire with money, we mostly can regain within a period of time and become parts of our life again. However the things that have our personal emotional attachment is harder to recover once lost. The people we hold dear in our hearts, friendship, plain items with special memories, our dreams and visions. When we lost these things, it's like loosing a part of ourselves.
When I went to my hometown last August during Muslim Eid holiday, I just realized that the old house where I grew up is actually a very unique house. I put the picture of my house up on my status and shortly some friends comment that it was such a beautiful house. Something that I took for granted all this time is actually a valuable possession in others perspectives.
Sometimes I consider my life is such an ordinary exercise of living. Consists of waking up early in the morning, going to work, working, lunch, going home, dinner and sleeping. Rethinking about it, well maybe my life is actually a hidden treasure after all. It is not a life full of spotlight, but it could become a candle for certain people. For my family, friends or even stranger I just met. Only when I'm not too busy thinking about my own problems, then I could see opportunities to connect with others and see their needs.I still have so much to give cos I have given so many.
Our precious belongings may vanish anytime, including our loved ones. As much as it hurts us, as long as we still have God in our heart, His peace and love will accompany us day in and day out ..making us whole again.
These days... I will learn to identify and value all my treasures, respect them, give enough time to preserve them and be thankful for having them as parts of my ordinary life.
Philippians 3:7-8
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
The more I think of it the list becomes longer. For me it would be my God..the one who always accompanies me anytime and anywhere, then my family, friends, ministry, job, my dream. The lists continues to material things. I have enough savings in the bank, insurance, my old car, house. From all these possessions which ones I consider as my treasure? Or do I still have hidden treasure that I haven't realized yet?
The funny thing is sometimes we don't realize something is that precious for us until we loose it. So maybe the test to determine my treasure is the "lost test". Which possession will leave me paralyzed should I loose it?
During my 11 years living in Jakarta, loosing things happens a bit too many for me. Someone took my bag with everything in it when my car broke down at the side of the road. I lost my mobile phones three times, my wallet two times and the thieves used my credit card to shop. These loses left me shocked for a time being, but I always say to myself, " Everything I lost God can restore them back to me." And until today God has proven true to His promise. I am still alive today, still able to pay my mortgage, credit card bill, household errands and my monthly needs.
Then my scenario is reenacted on the next thing in my list. My family and friends..what would I do without them. My dreams, my career, my other possessions. Finally I come to this thought..
The things that we can acquire with money, we mostly can regain within a period of time and become parts of our life again. However the things that have our personal emotional attachment is harder to recover once lost. The people we hold dear in our hearts, friendship, plain items with special memories, our dreams and visions. When we lost these things, it's like loosing a part of ourselves.
When I went to my hometown last August during Muslim Eid holiday, I just realized that the old house where I grew up is actually a very unique house. I put the picture of my house up on my status and shortly some friends comment that it was such a beautiful house. Something that I took for granted all this time is actually a valuable possession in others perspectives. Sometimes I consider my life is such an ordinary exercise of living. Consists of waking up early in the morning, going to work, working, lunch, going home, dinner and sleeping. Rethinking about it, well maybe my life is actually a hidden treasure after all. It is not a life full of spotlight, but it could become a candle for certain people. For my family, friends or even stranger I just met. Only when I'm not too busy thinking about my own problems, then I could see opportunities to connect with others and see their needs.I still have so much to give cos I have given so many.
Our precious belongings may vanish anytime, including our loved ones. As much as it hurts us, as long as we still have God in our heart, His peace and love will accompany us day in and day out ..making us whole again.
These days... I will learn to identify and value all my treasures, respect them, give enough time to preserve them and be thankful for having them as parts of my ordinary life.
Philippians 3:7-8
7 I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. 8 Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For His sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.
