God’s Treasure Boxes

If you had a great treasure, where would you put it?  If you are financially wise, you might invest it for a return.  If you are fearful, you might secure it in a huge, locked vault.  If you are a pirate, you would bury it on a desert island, to be found only by deciphering a cryptic map.  Or, maybe, if  you were a  great king of old, you would put all your treasure in an ornate temple or impressive pyramid.   I personally always picture treasure in a fancy box like this:

This box belonged to my grandfather, and sat on top of his dresser.  As a child, I read lots of stories and watched many movies that involved finding hidden treasure.  When, after much peril and adventure, that treasure was finally found, it was always in a fancy box, or chest, with brass fittings and a lock.  After the lock was broken, the hinges would creak as the top was lifted and you would be momentarily blinded by the dazzling rays of light glinting off of the shiny jewels and coins.  Then, the treasure would be revealed to be so vast, so overflowing as to exceed your wildest dreams.  Consequently, I would look up at this box, high on my grandfather’s dresser– this chest-like box with fancy brass decorations and a little lock– and know that it had to be a treasure box.

My grandfather passed away when I was 10, and each grandchild received one of his possessions as a memento.  I was thrilled to be the grandchild to inherit the special box! Because it was empty when I received it, I will never know what my grandfather actually kept here.   I am grateful for that fact. I never have to face the mundane reality that it, in all probability, held handkerchiefs, stray buttons and plastic combs.  In my mind, I can always picture it full of ancient coins and diamond necklaces, ruby rings and gold watches.

In 2 Corinthians 4:1-7, Paul  describes the gospel as a great light to the world.  The same God who caused light to shine into the darkness at creation (Genesis 1:3) has sent the light of the gospel of Christ to penetrate the spiritual darkness of sin.  This shining light of the gospel is further described as a great treasure– God’s priceless gift to his people.  Where does God put his treasure?  In a vault?  In a fancy treasure chest?  In a temple?   2 Cor. 4:7  says we have this treasure in “earthen vessels”, in “jars of clay”.  Here again, Paul reflects back to the creation of mankind (Genesis 2:7) when God took the dust of the earth, made man and breathed into him the breath of life.  The eternal potter, God, fashioned human jars of clay, and gave them life!  Now, we have the same picture applied spiritually.  Just as the breath of God filled the inanimate clay and gave life on this earth,  the gospel of salvation through Christ fills the spiritually dead person and gives life for eternity.

So, dear brothers and sisters in Christ, we are God’s treasure boxes, carrying His treasure within our earthly bodies of dust. Since we are merely clay pots, chipping and crumbling our way back to the earth, we cannot claim in any way to be the power of salvation.  But, our great God, through Christ, has put his gospel treasure in us.  And, unlike pirates or ancient kings,  God has not put a lock on his treasure.  This treasure is meant to be shared.  We, God’s treasure boxes, must take the dazzling, priceless light, the vast, eternal treasure to illumine and enrich the jars of clay around us waiting to be filled.

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