Written by Lauren Kitchens | Morning Host 93.7 The Light
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Matthew 6:19-20
In 1799, 12-year-old Conrad Reed was playing in the section of Little Meadow Creek that ran through his family’s land, when he spotted a shimmering stone in the stream. Captivated by its shimmer, he picked it up and carried it home to his father, John Reed. John used the rock as a doorstop for the next three years.
In 1802, he sought the advice of a Fayetteville jeweler about the large rock he used to prop open the door. The jeweler revealed the rock was no ordinary stone. It was a 17-pound gold nugget – the first documented discovery of gold in the U.S. John Reed, formerly a poor man, died wealthy after his family started their very own mining company.
Isn’t that story remarkable?? The Reed Family walked past a piece of gold, with extreme worth for years, thinking it was nothing more than a handy doorstop. How often does the same thing happen to us? We walk past valuable relationships, opportunities, moments thinking they are merely a door prop in this life versus something or someone who can add tremendous value to our days.
I think of the Jeremy Camp song “Keep Me In The Moment”! Lord help us not to miss one thing along the way that can impact our lives for the good, for the better… times we can beautifully be the hands of feet of Jesus to those around us.
Gold is priceless in this world, but lives have eternal weight that lasts forever. Maybe today we can stop and be intentional about asking the Lord to open our eyes to treasures we are casually walking past in our living room or kitchen, not noticing the gem right at our feet.
