We humans have been obsessed with treasure for a long time. Sir Walter Scott’s book ‘The Pirate’ (1822) was a prelude for Robert Louis Stevenson’s ‘Treasure Island’ published in 1883. Stevenson had the idea for this novel based on a map of an imaginary, romantic island whilst on holiday with his stepson Lloyd Osbourne in Braemar, Scotland. It was written with children in mind and he described it as being ‘quite silly and horrid fun’! When you think of more recent films about treasure such as ‘National Treasure’, ‘The Dial of Destiny’ and ‘The Mummy’, they have carried on in a similar vogue! Even on this beach, here’s a sign to send the heart of children racing and the hearts of parents sinking at the thought of looking for buried treasure.
- ‘Try to make at least one person happy every day. If you cannot do a kind deed, speak a kind word. If you cannot speak a kind word, think a kind thought. Count up, if you can, the treasure of happiness that you would dispense in a week, in a year, in a lifetime!’ – Lawrence G Lovasik
- ‘Where a man’s heart is, there is his treasure also’ – Saint Ambrose
- ‘Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world’ – Martin Luther
- ‘To what greater inspiration and counsel can we turn than to the imperishable truth to be found in this treasure house, the Bible?’ – Queen Elizabeth II
Pirates were the highwaymen of the high seas. Probably the most infamous one was Edward Teach, better known as ‘Blackbeard’ who terrified the shipping around the West Indies and the eastern coast of Britain’s North American colonies in the early 1700s. Blackbeard was a tall broad-shouldered man and played on his fearsome appearance with his long black hair and very dark beard which was braided into pigtails. He became the caricature for pirates as he wore knee-length boots, dark clothing, a wide hat and a long brightly coloured coat. During combat, he had a sling over his shoulders, with three brace of pistols, hanging in holsters like bandoliers and of course a sword. Despite being given a royal pardon in 1717 he couldn’t keep away from piracy. Blackbeard was nearly 40 in 1718 when he was captured by Lieutenant Maynard and killed in a swashbuckling fight – he was reportedly shot 5 times and cut some 20 times. A gruesome end awaited as he was decapitated with his head being placed on a pole at the entrance to the Chesapeake Bay as a warning to other pirates! You can see where the plots came from for ‘Pirates of The Caribbean’!
How about the real treasures mentioned earlier by saints and royalty? Not everyone realises that Jesus often taught about money and told stories about treasure.
- ‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’ – Matthew 6:19-21
- ‘The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field’ – Matthew 13:44
The material things are all temporary and cannot be taken with us, yet we put such value on them. As the Apostle Paul pointed out in his first letter to Timothy: ‘For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it’ and reminded him that ‘money is a root of all kinds of evil’ (1 Timothy 6:7-10). Jesus was pointing his listeners to find true treasure and that is his message, the treasure of unimaginable value. This treasure is peace with God, the peace which cost Jesus everything and calls for no compromise from those who seek it.
Gifted song writer Lou Fellingham was inspired to write a beautiful song that sums this up by reading these words:
- ‘For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair’- 2 Corinthians 4:6-8
This is worth listening to a few times. As you do, ask yourself what you truly value.
Pirates deceive, rob and destroy other people – does that sound a familiar ploy used against followers of Christ? Jesus always has our best interests in mind and here’s his pointer for us to real treasure: ‘But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well’ – Matthew 6:33