Real Treasures

        Most people would like to have a goose that could lay golden eggs  Every now and then, I check my collection of Fenton Glass to see if anything has gained in value.  It is true that we would like to be able to change that which is common into gold. Some even rummage through their old junk hoping to find a relic that is worth thousands of dollars.   Other hopefuls take their "old things" to the Antiques Road Show" hoping that they are secretly worth thousands of dollars.  Man never seems to be able to live on what he makes. Oh, we come close, but it is just  a little above what we make and not below it. For this reason, most people hope to discover some form of riches around them. The Apostle Paul knew the value of riches. Through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he wrote in First Corinthians 3:11-13, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is." 
        He included those things that were valuable land those things that were common. You can see the list going from gold to stubble. The stubble is the worthless stalk from the grain of wheat which remains in the ground after the sickle has cut off the stalk and the head of grain. God is here comparing what we do on earth as either gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay or stubble. The first three, gold, silver and precious stones, have a definite value while the next three, wood, hay and stubble are next to worthless. It should be our desire to do works that are of some value as compared to those works that are worthless. It is interesting that two people can do the identical work and one be classed as gold and the other as stubble. What makes the difference is the attitude or the mindset of the workman in the first place. You need to answer the questions, "Who is being glorified by this work? Myself or God?" If it is God, then the work will be classified as gold. But, if the person is yourself, then the work will be classified as stubble. Paul goes on to say that the fire will be the thing that tells what type of work it was. If it burns up, then it was as wood, hay or stubble. But, if the work remains after the fire, then it was gold, silver or precious stones. The point of all of this is that we can be doing a good work and it still end up as being consumed by the fire because our attitude was not right in the beginning. It is but a small thing that can change a good work into a bad work. Or, let us say, change a valuable work into a worthless work. So, check your attitude and make sure that what you are doing things for the Lord  and that you have the right purpose in mind. Seek to glorify Him in all that you do and you won't go wrong.  Praise God today for His riches and the fact that He supplies all of our needs.