Treasure’s Folly

A fleet of yachts sits atop the blue-green waters of the sea surrounding the Bahamas. Beneath them, an army of scuba divers painstakingly sift through dead coral and sand searching for lost treasures sunk over three hundred years ago when a Spanish ship, the Maravilla, carried over six hundred souls to eternity. Many of those aboard were aristocracy, and the ship was full of gold, silver, emeralds, and precious jewelry. Today, Allen Exploration, founded by a multi-millionaire, is scientifically combing the ocean bottom with permission from the Bahamian government, to preserve the history of this shipwreck.[1]

Does it not strike you with caution that one day you can hold the riches of the world in your hand, and the next, your remains lie at the bottom of the ocean while your riches live on for others to recover? Yet, how people chase those riches.

I see it every Sunday, as parents load their kids up into cars to ferry them to their ticket to fame and fortune. Sports have become the emerald mines of the 1600’s. I have seen the fickleness of the sports world from behind the scenes, though, and it is not pretty. One day you’re in, and the next day, you’re out. Something you have chased your whole life leaves you empty and wistful for what could have been.

I see it in fathers and mothers who invest their lives into careers while leaving others to raise their children. The ones they had little time for when they were young will have little time for their parents when they are old. The parents are left wondering why they sacrificed all those years to their employers.

I see it splashed all over social media, as influencers call out to young people, sharing their opinions on how to find the golden path to success, fortune, and beauty. Folly’s voice is loud and tempting in a world where morals have fallen out of favor.

The words of King Solomon, the wisest man on earth, resound with relevance today. Proverbs 2:1-9 encourages Solomon’s son to seek what matters most.

​ My son, if thou wilt receive my words,
and hide my commandments with thee;
So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom,
and apply thine heart to understanding;
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge,
and liftest up thy voice for understanding;
If thou seekest her as silver,
and searchest for her as for hid treasures;
Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord,
and find the knowledge of God.
For the Lord giveth wisdom:
out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous:
he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment,
and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment,
and equity; yea, every good path.

We have a generation of children who have no moral compass. Suicide rates among young people are surging beyond anything seen before. Hopelessness leaves many bound in depression, anxiety, and despair. What is the answer?

Seeking God’s wisdom like those divers are searching for pieces of eight and golden chains could save a generation. Putting God’s Word as the standard of how you live your life will change everything for your children and their children. Chasing God’s best will lead to blessings that far outlast the riches that just get left buried deep in the sands of the ocean.

Will you not listen to wisdom’s whisper and chase what matters for eternity?

Have a blessed weekend, my friends!

Erica B.

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[1] The Race to Preserve Treasures From the ‘Nuestra Señora de las Maravillas’ Shipwreck in the Bahamas | History | Smithsonian Magazine