“Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (2 Peter 1:4).
What people consider to be precious is a personal call. Take, for example, the trivia which people leave behind when others have to clean out their desk drawers or go through their personal belongings—a newspaper clipping, pieces of old jewelry, snapshots of people whose identities have been lost. It’s meaningless save to the one who kept the tattered old black and white snapshot, and an assortment of old coins and memorabilia.
Worthless, right? No, not to the person who collected them. No, they are not precious in the sense that gems or gold is, but precious in thoughts and memories. The dictionary says that precious means, “highly esteemed or cherished” or “of great value.” It says nothing about what is the cost, only what it means to you.
If you were to sit down and make a list of five things that you possess which you consider to be precious, what would go on your list? Zorra was a spinster who lived alone and didn’t have many friends, yet there was one thing she delighted in—a little dog she called, “Precious!” It was her call, not mine. Zorra would press the little dog to her face and whisper, “Precious!”
What you think of as being precious is a reflection of your value system—what you consider to be important in your life. Some 48 times the Bible refers to things which are described as being precious, and a few times the comparative “more precious” is used. Peter calls the promises of Scripture “very great and precious” because through them we come to know Christ and escape the corruption that is in the world (2 Peter 1:4).
David described his relationship with God as being precious (Psalm 139:17). He also described the law as being precious. He called the same “more precious than gold, than much pure gold” (Psalm 19:10).
In Psalm 116, there is a singular reference to what God considers to be precious. Is it gems, gold, or diamonds? No, since He created the wealth of all the minerals we so value, they don’t mean a lot to Him. The one thing which God considers precious—are you ready for this?—is the death of His own children. “Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” says Psalm 116:15. Yes, I confess, from our perspective this seems to be reversed. Life is precious to us, but God says, “No, the circumstances of your homegoing is not a matter of indifference but of great care and concern to me!”
It only points out what we really know but seldom acknowledge: What we value and what God values are often 180 degrees apart. We value gold, silver, and precious stones; God values relationships. What we often hold in high esteem is not going to matter much five minutes after you die, when someone opens your jewelry box or pulls out the top drawer of your dresser or chest of drawers.
Going back to your list, what do you consider to be precious? Perhaps alongside that, you might ponder how much of your time and resources go towards what you consider precious. More than a few people today are establishing legacies for their pets so they can live out their lives in comfort, while their children and grandchildren are strangers living in distant cities.
Another way to consider the issue is asking yourself, “If I knew I had five minutes to grab a few of my choice possessions before my house goes up in flames, what would I take?”
Wise is the person whose great treasures lie within the heart—precious thoughts, memories, relationships and hopes—things that will survive the fire.
Resource reading: Revelation 21:9-27.
