By Ptr. Rhoda Klein Miller
Recently a manager at the Thrifty Boutique in Chilliwack came across a small box of unusual jewelry among regular donations. It looked like costume pieces: eleven rings and two medallions. She priced the lot at $30.
But when a customer with an archaeology background stopped by, something about the designs caught their attention. The customer urged the store to have them checked out by the experts at Simon Fraser University’s Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology.
What seemed like simple trinkets turned out to be rare artifacts. Associate Professor Sabrina Higgins noted the materials and craftsmanship point to a medieval origin, distinct from Roman styles. The discovery has now become part of a university study and will one day be displayed in a public exhibition exploring both the items history and the ethics of handling ancient finds.
A thirty-dollar box from a thrift store—now considered priceless in value. The items hadn’t changed. Only the recognition had. Jesus once told stories like that recorded in the Gospel of Matthew.
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”
— Matthew 13:44
The treasure was always valuable but it required discovery—to be revealed to someone who recognized the value and was willing to give up everything else to possess it.
That’s the nature of God’s kingdom. Many people walk right past grace, redemption, and eternal life without recognizing their worth. If we allow the Spirit to open our eyes and hearts we can then properly appraise what has been in front of us all along.
The Chilliwack thrift store find is a reminder that value isn’t always wrapped in grandeur. Sometimes the treasure appears unassuming in nature.
Maybe it begins with curiosity and taking a closer or second look. Perhaps through suffering, searching, or exposure to authentic love—a better appraisal can be made.
Prayer:
Lord, help me see the treasures You’ve placed around me. Teach me to look past the surface and to value what heaven values. Amen