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NOVEMBER 11, 2015
Discovering Hidden Treasure in Our Homes |
"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34 (NIV)
A yard sale prompted a day of sorting through a dusty, neglected storage shelf. My hands and shirt were filthy as I cleaned, sorted and bagged up items to sell. At the back of the shelf, I came across a tarnished silver bowl. As I was about to add it to the "sell" bag, something made me pause.
I wiped the dirt from the bowl, remembering the day I got it — my wedding day. Turning it over, I could still read the engraved name of the maker. Despite its tarnished appearance, it was still an item of value, and I had almost sold it for a fraction of its worth.
There were years at the beginning of my marriage I was proud to have such a lovely bowl. I remember buying silver polish and maintaining its shine. But then came the years of diapers and sippy cups, followed by backpacks and cleats. At some point the bowl got set aside … forgotten … neglected.
Despite the dust and tarnish, my wedding bowl still had value. I had a treasure I hadn’t treasured. Immediately, the Lord showed me that bowl was like my marriage.
It too is a thing of value, but it needs ongoing care to keep its beauty. It needs to be treasured and is worth the effort.
But it’s so easy to neglect my marriage in the busyness of life. And just like the bowl, over time it gets dusty and tarnished. And when it’s tarnished, I can forget its beauty.
The good news is both the silver bowl and a neglected marriage can be restored. First it takes recognizing the treasure we already have. Scripture tells us, "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also" (Luke 12:34). When we identify something of true value, our hearts will be devoted to it.
Next it requires ongoing attention and care. This will take an investment of time and effort, and maybe some creativity. Marriages aren’t easy to maintain, but neither is silver. But when someone puts the effort into either their marriage or silver, the results are brilliant.
That tarnished silver bowl inspired me. First to reinvest in my marriage. I needed a reminder to see this treasure in my home with new eyes. I needed to remember that things of quality are worth the effort to keep them beautiful.
As I prayed about how to do that, God brought to mind a practical way I can invest in my marriage. My husband particularly appreciates words of affirmation and encouragement, and I needed to be more intentional to speak words of life to him. Sometimes I slip into thinking he’s just overly needy in this area. But the truth is, he wants and needs to know I think the world of him.
Second, I was inspired to clean the silver bowl and place it on display. It can serve as a reminder of the treasure I already have.
In the busyness of life, we all need reminders of what we have. The stress and challenges of life are like tarnish. Every disagreement, disappointment and discouragement adds another layer, until we’ve forgotten the beauty of our most treasured relationships.
The Bible encourages us to really see the treasure we have in order to keep our hearts in the right place. When we forget, we can find them straying away from what really matters most.
Whether it’s a silver bowl or a precious relationship, I need to watch for the first signs of tarnish, and then polish till it shines.
Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me the importance of caring for the treasure I already have. My marriage may have some tarnish, but it can be made beautiful with Your help. Help me to see it as a true treasure so my heart will follow. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Galatians 6:9, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up." (ESV)
Proverbs 11:25b "… he who waters will himself be watered." (NASB)
RELATED RESOURCES:
If you’ve procrastinated on investing in an important relationship due to an overly busy schedule, Glynnis Whitwer’s newest book, Taming the To-Do List can help you identify and live according to your priorities.
Visit Glynnis’ blog for information on her free 5-day series, the "Do it Now Challenge" and get help addressing the important things on your to-do list.
REFLECT AND RESPOND:
Identify the "treasured" relationships in your life. Are any of them "tarnished" due to neglect?
What can you do this week to reinvest in one or more of those relationships?
© 2015 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.
Proverbs 31 Ministries
630 Team Rd., Suite 100
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org
Originally published Wednesday, 11 November 2015.
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