“Hidden Treasures” by Justin March
“Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.”Matthew 19:21
When I was a child, I really loved Easter. It was one of those celebrations that lasted multiple days and incorporated numerous events that kept my siblings and I excited all week. It would start by going to the grocery store and picking out that perfect Easter Egg dye kit. The options were plentiful, and the bright colors and designs on the boxes would get my juices flowing as I anticipated decorating that award-winning egg. Then we would watch my Mom boil the eggs and await the moment when they had cooled enough so we could become the great artists we dreamed about. Eggs in every color of the rainbow, eggs that were hand-painted with intricate designs, and eggs that were covered in Easter-themed stickers would begin to cover every inch of the dining room table until there was no more space available. Dying eggs always brought our family together, and the laughs and connections are something I will always treasure.
Yet, as much as I enjoyed dying those eggs, there was one event that rose above all the others for me. One event that I had waited for all year. And one event that brought out the competitor within. It was time to wake up on Sunday morning, Easter morning, and get ready for that special holiday tradition my parents had spent hours and hours preparing for. Yes my friends, it was time for The Easter Egg Hunt!
As my brother, sister, and I raced around the house, both inside and out, we were full of anticipation as to what our parents’ creativity would bring this year. Sometimes we would find an egg with candy inside, sometimes there may be a few quarters or even a dollar bill, and sometimes there would be trinkets like Matchbox cars, little character figurines, stickers, or various other small tokens. It was an exciting race, and I will never forget how those hidden treasures made me feel.
Now that I am older, the excitement of Easter remains, but the reasons are a little different. Those hidden treasures I found in the eggs when I was a child have been replaced by something deeper and more elusive. The simple act of popping open that plastic oval, grabbing the hidden surprise, and securing it in that Easter basket is gone. Yet, the hunt continues, and when I do finally discover the gifts Jesus has placed along this incredible journey, the rewards are priceless and just as exciting.
I am still enjoying finding hidden treasures this Easter Season. Sometimes I feel like they are more difficult to uncover, but as I open my eyes and slow down so I can understand the teachings God brings to me, I begin to realize that these hidden treasures are actually everywhere. They are within the people I am blessed to have relationships with. They are within the beauty God has created around me. And they are within the pages of my Bible where the messages are as relevant now as the day they were written.
When we share our stories with one another, we uncover the hidden treasure that resides inside. We learn how different upbringings give us various perspectives on life. We learn that traumas, loss, heartache, and pain have made us stronger and allowed us to continue the hunt. And we learn that triumphs, victory, and overcoming the odds give us inspiration and faith that there is still good in this world and the people walking beside us.
This Easter Season, I pray your eyes are open to those hidden treasures God is providing in your life. As you follow the path He has laid out before you, don’t forget to slow down and pay attention to the beauty that may lie in those not-so-obvious spaces. Discover the gifts that may be hidden inside others, and embrace the joy of uncovering the special prize another may provide. For this journey will end one day, for all of us, and when the hunt is over and all the eggs have been opened, it is The Cross where we will find the most precious treasure. God will be waiting for us, Jesus will take our hand, and there will be no more hidden treasures for us to seek out.
It is Easter morning and the sacrifices have been made for you and I. As we continue our journeys, as we uncover those hidden treasures, and as we become humble and thankful for the blessings God is providing in our lives, we can bring back that excitement we felt as children. We can be surprised by the gifts we have uncovered, we can share them with one another, and we can extend them to those who are still struggling to find their way to the cross. Never let the treasures you have stay hidden. They may be all the light another needs to understand the true meaning of the Easter Season, and your treasure may be the reason they find themselves saved and no longer thirsty or hungry for the messages only God can provide through you!
