By Deacon AIDAN McPARTLAN
I wonder how many stories have been told or films made about buried treasure? You know the sort of thing. A clue is found that sets the ball rolling and we quickly discover the lengths that people will go to revealing the greedy instincts, of human nature, hiding just below the surface.
How often do we think about winning the lottery? If I won £1 million, I could do this or that with the money.
Suddenly the amount is rising from one, to two, to three, as our list grows.
We spend so much time and energy striving to achieve short-term goals, imagining that if we meet these random targets all will be well, our lives will be better.
This pursuit of short-term goals is often like the reckless chase scenes in the movie, bouncing from one goal to the next in an elusive search for happiness.
There is a story told of a man who devoted all his time and effort to progressing his career. He worked so hard with long hours, putting in his best efforts, that he had little time to appreciate his family and even less to enjoy life.
He was taken ill and rushed into hospital where he lay for days drifting in and out of consciousness, not knowing if he would live or die.
During moments of lucidity, he saw shadowy figures by his bed.
One day the figures came into focus and he recognised them as his wife and children who had spent days and hours faithfully at his bedside. In that moment, he realised where his real treasures lay, in his family, his home, the gift of life and, of course, God. He resolved that if he recovered he would change his priorities to where they should be.
All of us are searchers or treasure hunters who are looking for happiness.
That is a legitimate goal, but it could well be that we are looking in the wrong place.
Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there will your heart be too.”
So if we want to know what our treasure is, all we have to do is ask ourselves where our heart is. What is it that we love, that we pursue with all our hearts?
There lies our treasure. Staying friends with God requires wisdom; being able to see life from God’s point of view and being able to live the way that God wants us to live. If we do not have that, then no matter what possessions we have or how successful we are, we will not be happy.
You see wisdom, which is a gift from God, is our pearl of great price which no one can take from us.