“Hey! Look what I found,” my husband said.
In each hand he held a hidden treasure he’d discovered amid cleaning products under the kitchen sink.
“That’s amazing,” I exclaimed, “Fantastic! I didn’t know we had any, but they were there all along.”
An observer would have guessed we found gold nuggets. Hubby didn’t find gold, but maybe better than that, he scored, not one but two—drum roll please—containers of Clorox Wipes!
Have you laughed with excitement when the grocery order contained toilet paper? We’ll tell great-grandchildren one day, “You think you have it rough? During the Covid-19 pandemic, we couldn’t find soap or toilet paper.”
When we discover empty store shelves, we frown on hoarding. How dare people snatch up an excess supply when others have none! (I must admit a critical spirit toward some of those folks welled up in me.)
Then I thought…
The next time a pandemic threatens to erupt, I’ll buy lots of toilet paper and sanitizer, and…I won’t be caught short-handed again. I won’t hoard like those other folks, but I’ll buy more than usual.
Wait a minute. What was I thinking? Will I be tempted to hoard like those I criticized? Will I focus on the value of sharing or the advantage of hoarding? Where will I place my trust?
Father, forgive me for a critical spirit and for depending on my buying power instead of trusting You to meet my needs.
Another thought surfaced as I remembered our treasure from the kitchen cabinet.
What other hidden treasures do I possess that were there all along? Talents? Abilities? Knowledge? Material things someone needs? What experiences do I have that would be a blessing to those who are suffering during the pandemic?
What a shame to hoard what others need.
Why did God bless me as He did? What did I learn from the experiences He allowed? Which of God’s treasured gifts remain hidden and unused in my home or my memory?
What if I discovered the hidden treasures once again and used them for His glory and the good of others? Surely, that’s what He has in mind.
During the current pandemic:
Some have lost loved ones.
I know how it feels to lose a dad and a mom, and I have friends struggling to cope with the death of a family member. How could I help?
Some have lost income.
My husband once suffered job loss through no fault of his own. In that hard season, God provided. A young woman I know missed work for two months. Could I encourage her with a small gift and Bible verses that helped me?
Some are ill or fearful.
I watched my mom minister to my dad who had an incurable disease. I cared for my mom when congestive heart failure advanced. How can I pray for and encourage those who are ill or fearful?
Some are doubting God’s care for them or regretting the decisions they made.
We’ve all been there and understand the need for prayer and Bible study. Would a devotional book help? What about a listening ear?
Sharing our hidden treasures
What’s the common denominator of these situations? The need for comfort. Read what Paul wrote on this subject:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV
Am I hoarding in my heart the treasure of comfort God gives? How can I share it with someone He loves?
Prayer is always a wise response. Telling someone you’re praying for them and providing a visual reminder in a card or letter can encourage that person.
Sometimes, however, we are also called to action—to be the hands and feet of Jesus as it were.
Does someone you know need…
- a friend?
- a call?
- a meal?
- a monetary gift?
- a greeting card?
- a service like shopping or lawn care?
These acts of kindness bless those who suffer. Just as a pot of soup can warm the body, flowers in a jar can brighten someone’s day.
Consider these words:
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?
James 2:14-16 ESV
I’m thankful for Clorox Wipes and other daily supplies—more so now than before. However, I’m amazed by the gift of salvation, as well as God’s comfort and other treasures He provides.
Let’s find opportunities to share His comfort with others.
What hidden treasures do you possess? How can you share your treasures in the name of Jesus with someone else? I look forward to your comments.
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