AUGUST 30, 2012
Panning
For Gold
Read: Luke 18:18-30
The genuineness of
your faith [is] much more precious than gold. —1 Peter 1:7
While on vacation in
Alaska, we visited the El Dorado Gold Mine
near Fairbanks. After a tour and
demonstrations of mining techniques
during Gold Rush days, we got to do a
little panning for gold. Each
person was given a pan and a bag of dirt and
stones. After pouring the
contents into the pan, we added water from a trough
and swirled it
around to stir up the silt and allow the gold, which is heavy,
to sink
to the bottom. Even though we had watched experts, we made little
progress. The reason? Concerned about discarding something of value,
we were
unwilling to throw away worthless stones.
This reminded me of
how possessions sometimes keep us from finding
what is truly valuable. Jesus
had an encounter with a rich man for
whom this was true. His earthly wealth was
more important to him
than spiritual treasure (Luke 18:18-30). Jesus said, “How
hard it is
for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (v.24).
Although
money is not evil, it can prevent us from inheriting true
riches if
accumulating it is the goal of our lives. To hoard wealth is
foolish, for it is
genuine faith, not gold, that will sustain us through
trials and result in
praise, honor, and glory to God (1 Peter 1:7).
I’d
rather have Jesus than silver or gold,
I’d
rather be His than have riches untold;
I’d
rather have Jesus than houses or lands,
I’d
rather be led by His nail-pierced hands. —Miller
Keep your eyes on
Jesus so you don’t allow earthly riches to
blind you to spiritual riches.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
