Hidden Treasure: I

Hidden Treasure: I

Being the parent of a know-it-all, hormonal, emotional, irrational, narcissistic teenager is AWFUL.  Just ask my parents – they remember.  Teenagers think they’ve got life figured out and that anything that goes against the grain of their plans or omniscience is clearly an intentional plot to suck the joy out of their lives.  Parents become the secret enemy. Teachers and authority figures are all in cahoots to make their life miserable.

Our approach to God, and the Bible, is often like the rebellious teen.

We put the money in the cosmic vending machine – money we pilfered out of Mom’s purse or off Dad’s dresser – and stand there smashing buttons waiting for the Almighty to dispense joyful bags of delicious experience.  When it doesn’t come how and when we want it – we put an “OUT OF ORDER” sign on God and resolve to mine delicious experiences elsewhere and on our terms.

Proverbs 2 has something to say about that.

It opens with a dad telling his son:

…Indeed, if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

THEN you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

Proverbs 1 just told us “The fear of the Lord is the FOUNDATION of all true knowledge, wisdom, and insight, but fools despise all this.”  So, now that we’ve established what the foundation is (the fear of the LORD), and how we’re supposed to approach it, (search for it like hidden treasure), let’s think about that…

When’s the last time you really dug into the Bible like a bona fide treasure hunter?  Like someone who leveraged EVERYTHING – begged, borrowed, and… borrowed some more – to find “El Dorado” or The Holy Grail? Many Christians figure that’s not their ‘job.’ We’ve come to the conclusion, “That’s what biblical scholars are for.” Those guys do the labor and research – then the preacher/pastor wades through all that stuff to prepare a sermon – then I show up on Sunday – grab my free coffee and donut – get a warm-fuzzy from the music and preaching – cut out early so all those idiots in the parking lot don’t slow me down – and I’m all set for the week, right?

I’m sure that’s exactly what Jesus had in mind at the Cross.

You.

Your coffee and donut.

Your warm-fuzzies.

You getting out of the lot quickly.

You getting ‘on’ with your day.

That’s in the Bible, right?

Yep. Pretension 1:1 and Hubris 3:11.

Maybe God has something different in mind.

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Stay tuned for Finding Hidden Treasure: PART II