Priceless!

May 18, 2006

By Fred Smolchuck

A recent copy of National Geographic reported the experience of a first-time tourist to India. He not only was impressed with the exotic beauty and character of the country, but struck with the poverty of a huge segment of its society and with the extreme wealth of others.

During a visit to a maharaja’s palace he was invited to the ruler’s office and shown a display of expensive gems. The owner took a leather pouch from his safe and spilled a number of the gems on his desktop. The tourist, amazed by the beautiful stones, finally focused his eyes on a pair of one-and-a-half-inch dark green, teardrop-shaped emeralds. Picking them up in his hand, he asked the owner, “How much are these worth?”

The owner slowly lifted his head, smiled and said, “Oh, about $220,000. It probably would cost you three to five times more if purchased in a New York jewelry store.”

Successful living in India (the same elsewhere) seems to be measured by what a person owns: gold, silver and other precious jewelry he possesses. He is further highly regarded by the amount of property he owns, the number of servants in his employ and the material/political clout he can display. Such a person is said to be “really living.” He’s wealthy with “money to burn.”

But what exactly is wealth? Is it really money, land, cattle, houses and other material goods? Some believe it is. Many who hope for such wealth will work, fight and even die to attain it. When they at last get it, then comes death. What then?

Jesus told a story about such a person. After amassing a large amount of material wealth he said to himself, “You’ve done well. You’ve got it made and can now retire. Take it easy and have the time of your life.”

Oh yeah? So what happened?

The answer came sooner than expected. “God showed up and said, ‘Fool! Tonight you die. And your barnful of goods — Who gets it?’ (Luke 12:20, The Message).

Jesus taught, “What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matthew 16:26).

He warned us, “Don’t hoard treasure down here where it gets eaten by moths and corroded by rust or — worse! — stolen by burglars. Stockpile treasure in heaven. ... The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being” (Matthew 6:19-21).

Are rubies, emeralds or diamonds priceless? No!

Then what about your soul? Jesus says, “It is!”

“Godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6, KJV).

Fred Smolchuck writes “Life’s Bits and Pieces” and lives in Springfield, Mo.