Superkids, I have been on another great treasure hunt…diamond mining at the Crater of Diamonds in Murfreesboro, Ark. They let you dig for diamonds, and you get to keep what you find. The biggest diamond ever found there was named the Uncle Sam and weighed 40.23 carats. That’s huge! In 2016, 501 diamonds larger than 1 carat were found. The day after we were there, a young boy found one and named it the Superman Diamond!
Why didn’t I find it? I thought, but the answer was pretty obvious. I wasn’t looking in the right place! Sure, I was looking, but I was at the other end of the field from where the Superman was found. I finally gave up and went to the visitors center to wait for my friends to finish. I was looking at a map of where the diamonds had been found over the years, when I made an important discovery—most of the diamonds had been found in one certain area. And the Superman was found in the same area as the other big ones. How I wished I had paid attention to that map BEFORE I went diamond hunting!
Later, I thought about you and the treasure hunt we began last month (BVOV May 2017), when we talked about searching for wisdom using all the tools God has given us. Remember what they are? Listening, choosing to treasure the commands, tuning your ears, concentrating, crying out, asking, searching, seeking—these are God’s tools for you to gain wisdom. I certainly didn’t use all the tools available to find a diamond, but I did find some WISDOM to share with you, along with a pretty awesome picture of me digging in the dirt. (Pretty funny, I think!)
We read Proverbs 1:5-6 last month, so let’s start at verse 7 and dig a little deeper into God’s Word. “Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (New Living Translation).
I ignored the wisdom the visitors center had to offer: the maps, explanations, even the video about finding diamonds. I was too eager to hunt and have fun. So, I decided not to stop along the way to gain some wisdom, but it would have been much more fun to find a diamond! Superkids, too many kids lead their lives that way. They don’t pay attention and explore God’s great wisdom or use the Treasure Tools to dig for those diamonds. Those who don’t “respect and regard” (or fear) TRUE wisdom, knowledge and discipline, the Bible calls fools.
Panning for Treasure
One tool I disregarded and skipped was a screened strainer. You can put chunks of dirt in it and wash the excess away under water. That often makes it easier to spot the diamonds. But I was too cold to get wet messing with it, even though I really did need a strainer for diamond mining.
Last month we saw that God wants us to look to Him and to our godly parents for wisdom. The Holy Spirit and His wisdom is like that strainer in our lives, sifting away what doesn’t belong. This month I am going to ask you to do some homework. DON’T panic! It’s not that hard. We are going to pray and ask the Lord to show us where we’ve missed it, like He showed me that map of the diamond field. Then Superkid, I want you to make a list of what He shows you. Work on this as a family: Mom and Dad may find some distracted places, too. What are the things that keep you distracted? Where are you focusing your attention? Is inconvenience or discomfort keeping you from searching for wisdom? God knows and He will tell you. Pray this as a family:
Father, thank You for the wisdom offered to me in Your Word (James 1:5). I receive it in the Name of Jesus. Please show me where I have turned my back on wisdom. Show me what I have focused on, instead of the treasure You have for me. I receive Your correction because I know You love me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
Superkids, I didn’t find a diamond when I was searching, but I believe I found some good treasure for you! And the next time I go diamond mining, I will use all the wisdom and knowledge I’ve gained, to at least be looking in the right place to find that treasure. So happy hunting for wisdom and knowledge, Superkid, until next month when we talk about Treasure Buddies! ♥
Kellie Copeland
