E2H Jun. Issue

MINING LIFE’S GOLD

If for some reason you have a hankering to go to North Carolina soon you might stumble across the Reed gold mine. It’s already been mined, and so crossing it’s path won’t make you filthy rich. But there is a story behind the site that could provide great value to your life if applied correctly. In this particular area of North Carolina a man by the name of Conrad Reed discovered a strange rock on the Reed farm. In 1802, a jeweler in Fayetteville offered Reed $3.50 for the rock. It turns out the rock was gold and its actual worth was $3,600! What did Reed do with the rock for three years before discovering its actual value? He used it as a doorstop in his house.

Conrad Reed failed to realize the true value of this “rock” for a period of three years. Who knows if the man struggled financially, while the answer to a lot of his problems could’ve been propping open his door. I wonder, how often are we oblivious to the true value of things? We, too, can be guilty of tossing parts of our lives to the side, and as they rest, underdeveloped and neglected, we miss out on the answer to the many problems in life. Here are some questions to ask as you evaluate your life and “mine” out its golden potential.

What is the actual value?
A good practice for anyone would be to consider the things you spend the most time on, and ask yourself if they have any real value. Perhaps the ultimate example would be television watching. How many hours a week do you spend “vegging-out” in front of the TV? Sure, it can provide entertainment, but where will the average thirty-minute program really take you in life. Consider the other time-consuming practices in your life, and ask the question, “What is the actual value?”

How will my decisions affect life ten years from today?
We’re so accustomed to living in the present that we rarely envision our lives in the future. And, it seems, the younger one is, the harder it is to perceive the future. Obviously, we cannot predict the path ahead, but we do have a choice concerning where we’ll be and what we’ll be doing. As you prioritize your life, place the more positive and life-altering decisions at the top. And, remember, what might seem small and trivial now can grow into a large and drastic conclusion.

Have I trusted the Lord?
The last question is, without a doubt, the most important. If we’re to be certain that the golden moments of life aren’t merely propping the door open for other, lesser, things to come in, then we must always seek the Lord first. Jesus taught in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first His [God’s] kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We often repeat the first of this verse and teach that God must come first. This is truly significant, but notice also the promise: upon doing so, all other things will be added. How much will be added and how? It’s best to leave that to God. He watches over the rest of the world, and He’ll certainly provide for creation’s center: man.

-BK