Greatest Treasure

by Bev Muefflemann

“By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasure.” Proverbs 24:3-4

My grandmother’s health had been declining for the last ten years. Since her retirement in 1984, her short-term memory had been slipping away, her passion for life declining. Still, Nana was a feisty lady. The middle daughter of Russian immigrants, married at eighteen, a mother at nineteen during the Depression, and an entrepreneur in her early thirties, Nana untiringly built a successful printing and mailing business from meager beginnings.

Yet, as she lay dying of throat cancer in 1995, she held me close in one of her last lucid moments, looked me in the eyes and said, “You take good care of your children. Your family is your greatest treasure.” I will never forget that eternal moment when her crystal blue eyes shone brightly with a mother’s tenderness and passion. That memory will be a lasting treasure.

Often our days as parents are filled with mindless tasks that drain our energy and endless activities that sap our strength. In the midst of it all, it’s hard to keep a biblical perspective. Daily I must remember that my children, like precious jewels, are not mine to keep but are entrusted to me for a time. As I do, I realize as Solomon did, that my home must be built by the wisdom that comes from loving, serving, and fearing the Lord so that my children have a strong foundation in Him. Through understanding my children’s unique temperaments, needs, and personalities, my home can be firmly established in love. As I come to the heart knowledge that my children are rare and beautiful treasures, I realize that I have “rooms filled.”

The Lord will be glorified as I partner with Him to cut and smooth these precious gems. It is often a long and tedious process, but the brilliance of a diamond reflecting His light is worth my best effort. My prayer is that you begin each day agreeing with Solomon (and my grandmother!) that your family is your greatest treasure.