20 $1 Gold Coins vs. 30 Pieces of Silver

   Given the choice, anyday of the week, I will choose 20 $1, gold coins over 30 pieces of silver. We are probably all familiar with Judas and how he shanked (fig.) Jesus in the back. It's amazing how 3rd person betrayals take on a new light when they come to us in 1st person. But like the 30 pieces of silver, the 20 gold coins impact our lives... but in a positive way.
   A couple of weeks ago, someone in our church handed me a ziploc bag filled with twenty U.S. gold $1 coins. At the conclusion of a worship service, I was pretty drained, readying myself for a meeting, hungry... but really energized spiritually from the 'united' worship service. I laid the coins on my desk before I left the office, I gave thanks, not only for the $20 but really for the friendship expressed to me. Their monetary value (while fluctuating with the value of the U.S. currency rates) pales in comparison to the value they have for me personally.
   The things we treasure in life are pretty interesting. We throw things out while hanging onto others like they are the holy grail. It's those personal things that have the greatest worth. The complimentary house cleaning, the help putting up a fence, trimming someones' trees, writing a card, giving a hug, helping them understand Pangea... all of these things speak of relationship - these things we treasure. These things outshine the 30 pieces of silver we may have received during the course of our lives. The lesson here - count your blessings, number your days aright... You'll find plenty of gold coins and eventually you too will give them out to others as the need arises...

In Christ