True Treasure

True Treasure



This story was inspired by the parable of the pearl of great price and one that I wrote to share with our church's Boys Club. I wrote it specifically for those children, to share the idea about true treasure, but it is applicable to every one's life and reminds of us how much God loves each one of us.

What is treasure? Is it perhaps Gold, or precious coins, or perhaps is it jewels?  This is the story of a boy who found out.


There once was a boy who loved to explore. And, like all boys he wanted to discover treasure. He was always looking for something. But whenever he found treasure it wasn’t as beautiful or as precious as he had hoped it would be. One day, in his garden, when he was 7, he dug up a dinosaur. But, only a plastic one buried by the dog.


Once, when he was 11,  while he was helping his mum sort through his old toys  he discovered something that had been very precious to him as a small child, his teddy. But, as he looked at it he saw that he didn’t think of it as so very precious anymore.


As he grew up into a man, he hungered to find real treasure and so he decided that he would become an adventurer, an explorer and a treasure hunter. (A bit like Bear Grylls, going out into the world to discover new things, new places and hopefully one day some precious treasure.) He was always looking for something new, something precious.  Always hoping he would find some incredible treasure that would make him rich beyond his wildest dreams, you might say it was his dearest wish, his heart’s desire


Like all explorers he needed a map. He loved to look at maps and had a big collection of them. They would tell him the way to go and would direct his path. As he was looking through his maps one day he came upon one that took him to a place he had NEVER been. It showed the route to a place, about which he had heard an amazing story.

He had heard rumours that a the foot of a gnarled old tree in some place far from where he was there had been buried treasure many years ago. It had been buried by the richest man who had ever lived, who had said that he wanted to share it with anybody who was willing to seek it out because that person desired it with all his heart. The rumours were that this haul of treasure was more valuable than the crown jewels and that whoever found it would get to keep it FOREVER.


He had to sell everything he owned to buy the plane ticket to get to where the treasure was meant to be buried. He packed a  rucksack full of all the equipment he thought he would need.


He travelled for many days and nights through wild jungles, across high mountain ranges and on rushing rivers. Until, deep in a place previously unknown to him, he came to the place where he believed the treasure was buried.

With his heart in his mouth he took his spade out of his pack and started to dig. After much sweating and digging he heard a dull thud as his spade hit the lid of the wooden box. With trembling hands he hauled out the wooden box, knowing that he was now heir to the richest man’s inheritance. Pasted to the top was a note, he barely glanced at it but this is what it said,


Dear seeker


You have found this precious treasure which I have left buried here to be discovered by my True Heir. So now I will call you My son. When you open this box My treasure is yours.


Much love from a Stranger


He scrabbled at the lock, eventually the padlock came apart and he reached into the box.


This is what he hauled out:


Some old valuable, coins from a foreign land. He felt quite excited for a minute.


Then he pulled out the most incredible jewels. including, a solid gold necklace, beads of some rare stones and an amazing broach made of beautiful diamonds and emeralds. His mouth dropped open in amazement. He had achieved his life’s ambition. He had discovered treasure. He was rich beyond his wildest dreams


But then, a niggling thought entered his head, “Oh, is that it. Is that all.”

Suddenly he felt sad and empty and all alone in the world.

He knew he had hauled all the treasure out of the box but idly he put his hand into the box again and draw out something that took his breath away. As he gazed at it in astonishment and joy, he knew had had found the real treasure, his heart leaped and he knew that this treasure is what he had been looking for all his life.



From the box he drew a rough wooden cross, the greatest treasure of all.



So what is true treasure?

God’s Kingdom is a priceless treasure. Jesus is the most precious treasure you could ever own. He has given himself to us, to you.


God wants you to own this precious treasure for yourself, it may require some sacrifices but it will be worth it forever, because unlike treasure that you can dig up, rubies, diamonds, coins, your old teddy the treasure from God is a forever treasure and if you seek God with all your heart, and soul and mind it is yours!