Trudi Hall of Baytown, TX, has told of an experience that she and her husband shared on a recent trip:
There was a man that Keith and I met last year on a ship we took from Barcelona, Spain to Galveston, Texas. The ship crew was handing out little "Monopoly" dollars (fake bills from the board game) for every activity one participated in on-board. The "dollars" could then be redeemed in the gift shop for over-priced cheesy trinkets.
While we took every opportunity to go ashore and experience the beauty, history, and culture of Europe, and look up long lost friends along the way, this fellow was like a gerbil on a wheel, running from shuffleboard to ping-pong, collecting his "dollars." He missed out on Alecante, Malaga, the Canary Islands, and the Bahamas, but I'm sure he polished his miniature golf skills along the way.
In the end, we have wonderful memories of our time together, a strengthened relationship, and a bit more understanding of the history of the world.
He has a backpack with the ship's logo on it.
While not all of our opportunities will be as thrilling as our ocean journey, I believe that each one affords us the opportunity to use it for our growth and blessing, or squander it.
The man with the Monopoly dollars is not the only one who gets focused on "trinkets" and misses out on the REAL treasures of life...
The world has NOTHING to offer except trinkets, for the things of this world are only temporary (2 Corinthians 4:18; 1 John 2:17).
The REAL treasures of life are spiritual and eternal (2 Corinthians 4:18). These treasures are enjoyed in a right relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ.
Even though we were lost in sin, God sent His Son to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins (Romans 5:8; Ephesians 1:7). Through Him we discover the REAL treasures of forgiveness, hope, and eternal life. These treasures belong only to children of God. When we by faith in His Son (Acts 16:30-31), turn from our sins in repentance (Acts 17:30-31), confess Him before men (Romans 10:9-10), and are baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38), we are "born" into the family of God and become heirs of an eternal inheritance (Romans 8:16-17). As long as we remain faithful to our Heavenly Father, He has promised to give us these REAL, SPIRITUAL TREASURES.
Don't be duped by the cheesy trinkets that the world has to offer. Discover the real, lasting treasures that are found in a saving relationship with God.
Won't YOU accept His offer on His terms?
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