October 2022 Message

What is the most precious gift you can give? What do you consider “precious”? What is it that you value most in life? Before we can really answer all these questions, we must spend some time in silence and with a pencil and paper close by. When these answers begin to flow…write them down. Then you will discover what is most precious to you.

“A wise woman who was traveling in the mountains found a precious stone in a stream. The next day she met another traveler who was hungry, and the wise woman opened her bag to share her food. The hungry traveler saw the precious stone and asked the woman to give it to him. She did so without hesitation. The traveler left, rejoicing in his good fortune. He knew the stone was worth enough to give him security for a lifetime. But a few days later he came back to return the stone to the wise woman. ‘I’ve been thinking,’ he said, ‘I know how valuable the stone is, but I give it back in the hope that you can give me something even more precious. Give me what you have within you that enabled you to give me the stone.’ 

Author unknown

The fact is my friends, that this is nothing more and nothing less than Jesus Christ, who has indwelled us with His Holy Spirit. When we submit our lives to Him and allow Him to have His way in us, we are forever changed. As the song says; “They will know we are Christians by our love”. Our lives should reflect the glory and holiness of our Savior Jesus Christ. Our decisions to give, reflects our faith in the One who has overwhelmed our former selves and is glowing brightly within us.

What the male traveler saw in the wise woman, was so precious, that he brought the precious stone back.  This traveler essentially said, “I want what you have…what must do to have what you have?” This causes us to remember Peter’s spirit filled message in Acts 2:37, “Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and the other apostles, Brothers, what should we do?”

The rest is history. Draw nearer to Him, trust your whole life to Him, and all fear will melt away. What you use to think was precious is now of little value because the truth has been revealed to you through faith.

Your friend in Christ,

Pastor Greg