A Fortuitous Kicking the Bucket

Kicking the literal bucket that is, not the proverbial keel over and hoof it off to eternity kind. A recent news story about a California couple has captured my attention.

From what I glean from reports, it was a day not particularly unlike any other.The couple had no reason to suspect one tiny little action during a perfectly mundane walk would propel their lives in a different direction. They got up, probably ate, brushed their teeth and decided to walk the dog on their property, something I’m sure they had done many times.

During their walk, they noticed the rim of a bucket sticking out of the earth.Instead of passing it by,they stopped and poked the dirt from it.Then seeing it had both ends, dug it out with a stick and took it home, where they opened it and discovered it contained dirt encrusted disks. Disks which turned out to be rare gold coins worth ten million dollars.

Once I chased off the green eye of envy, I saw several lessons in their story:

 1. They weren’t doing anything spectacular, no “If only we were somewhere else doing something else,” grumblings. (I inferred this from a statement they made about how much they enjoyed the life they had and didn’t want to change it.)

 2.  Even though walking the dog was routine, they were still observant, maybe expectant.

 3. They were curious—didn’t pass by a rusty bucket rim buried in dirt.

 4. They acted upon their curiosity.

 5. They were wise with their discovery—waited to get counsel, avoided the press and “fame” (which no doubt would bring hordes with backhoes and metal detectors).

But particularly intriguing to me was the statement they made: “I never would have thought we would have found something like this. However, in a weird way I feel like I have preparing my whole life for it.”

Hmmm. I wonder what they mean about that. Was it because they had property in Gold County California that they wondered about gold finds? Had they often speculated what they would do if they had a lot of money? Or did they just have a feeling that there was something more to their lives?

Although I’ll probably never know, their statement made me think about how we are to live as Christians. 

We know we have treasure in heaven but I’m pretty certain we are going to be Amazed when the time comes  when all we have lived for, hoped for, and believed in is revealed. When the Son of Man comes in glory and all the angels with Him

Like the couple who felt they had been preparing their whole life for this treasure, those of us who are Christians live all our lives—each and every ordinary day— girding our minds for action, fixing our hope on the grace to be received at the revelation of Jesus (1Peter1:13), knowing the proof of [our] faith being more precious than gold ... may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1Peter1:7).

So walk your dog or change those diapers or hammer those nails or write that article on this ordinary day, being expectant, thankful and confident that indeed you too have treasure laid up for you. 

And keep your eyes open--who knows what you may find!

Grace and blessings abundant,

Marcia