Digging For Gold
Read Time / 3 Minutes
Theme / Financial Planning
It was a search for adventure and fame. Growing up in the suburbs of San Francisco, the history of the California Gold Rush led me to fantasize about finding my own treasure. Being a child, I was convinced I could find it in my own back yard, and all I had to do was go out and dig. Grabbing a shovel, I made my first attempt in what turned out to be a hard and fruitless journey for treasure.
There is something about treasure that captures the hearts of many around us. Whether it’s a child fantasizing about the pot of gold on the other side of the rainbow or an adult hoping their lottery number gets called on, many of us have curated unique dreams of what our life would look like if we got our hands on an influx of wealth.
The book of Matthew gives us some challenging insight on what is truly of value. Matthew 13:44 states, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
When Jesus walked on earth, He proclaimed the Kingdom of God is now and within us. The security many of us are looking for is available, paid in full, and its legitimacy doesn’t change based off the money we have in the bank or where we suspect our earthly economy is going.
The Kingdom of Heaven being here with us now is a call to action. It demands us to value the things and people around us and be thoughtful of our impact. We simply need to open our ears to hear and our eyes to see what God is asking to do in and through us.
Saying the Kingdom of Heaven is here is easy. The challenge comes from knowing it in our heart. Many of us participate in sacraments like communion for this very reason – engaging in an outward expression signifying an internal experience. There are four monthly sacraments I personally participate in as an act of declaring God’s Kingdom is here: 1) Giving, 2) Paying Off Debt, 3) Biblically Responsible Investing, and 4) Living. These may be helpful to you as you are listening to God’s voice and creating your own ways of partnering with the Kingdom of Heaven.
Giving. Recognizing we are truly blessed and living a life that’s better than we deserve.
Paying Off Debt. Valuing our commitments and striving to be men/women of our word.
Biblically Responsible Investing. Acknowledging our future is valuable as well as the way we go about preparing for it.
Living. Challenging our needs by practicing discipline and valuing our desires by spending resources on our wants.
As a child, I fantasized about the day I would find treasure and finally gain the significance and security I longed for. As an adult, I practice discipline to remind my heart of what my head knows – A treasure offering security and significance greater than I can comprehend is available.
Will we be a people who have eyes to recognize it and ears to hear His still small voice?
Ryan De Amicis
Wealth Advisor
408.758.6413
ryan@christianwm.com
