There's something about a room—any room—whose name begins with the word, “Treasure.” In a visit to Istanbul’s Topkap Palace Museum, I was obliged to spend time in the Treasure room of the Sultans.
Personally, I'm not much for jewelry, especially the gaudy kind. And Sultans—like so many rich folks in history—had a penchant for serious bling. Yet I was stopped in my tracks at the window showcasing the Kasicki Diamond. At 86 carats, this diamond is considered to be one of the largest in the world. Set in silver, it is surrounded by a double row of 49 cut diamonds.
The sight of the pear-shaped gem grabbed my attention, but the story behind it kept me lingering. According to “reliable” accounts, a poor fisherman walking the shores of Istanbul looked down and saw something shimmering in the sun. Stooping down for a closer look, he scooped up the shiny thing which appeared to him as a piece of glass (either this man was more ignorant of jewelry than even me, or there must have been a boat load of sea weed wrapped around the thing!).
Any way, he took it to a jeweler who feigned disinterest insisting it was merely a piece of common glass. Yet—out of the “goodness of his heart” the jeweler offered the ignorant fisherman three spoons in exchange for his find. Eventually a vizier, doing business on behalf of the sultan, purchased the diamond and it made its way to the palace.
The story you may find unlikely. But what is certain is that you and I may be engaging in the same kind of foolish trades every day.
We trade the diamond of God's indwelling power for three spoons of our own puny effort.
We trade the diamond of Christ's rest for three spoons of anxiety.
We trade the diamond of the Spirit's guidance for three spoons of self-centeredness.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Today there will come your way—and mine—a thousand opportunities to trade away the treasure God has already given us. But spoons are a poor trade. For ignorant fishermen—or those bound for streets of gold.