Don't Bury the Treasure

A Puzzle Worth Praying Over

All across the United States, churches are shrinking. You'd think that would mean people are finding peace somewhere else. That they're happier, more content, less anxious about tomorrow.

But look around. I don't see it. If anything, it seems like the opposite is true. People are more restless, more lonely, and more worn out than ever.

So why are they walking past the church? I think many of them look at it and say, "That's not for me." And honestly, I don't blame them. I think it's because we, the Christians, haven't been showing them what church really is.

Church Is a People, Not a Place

When most people hear the word "church," they picture a building, a parking lot, and an hour on Sunday morning. But that's "church" in quotation marks.

The real church is the body of believers God has called together. We're called to love, to serve, and to live life side by side. We're called to pray for our neighbors, support them, show them love, and be there when life falls apart.

That's what church is. And I believe that if we as Christians truly lived that out, the church wouldn't be shrinking. It would be growing.

Why? Because the hunger hasn't gone away. People are still searching for meaning, for contentment, for peace, and for eternal life. The desire for God is still there. What's been missing is us showing up with the answer.

Treasure in a Coffee Can

So where did we go wrong? I think some of us have gotten consumed with ourselves. Some of us have lost our focus. And some of us have simply lost our passion for the command Jesus gave us: go into all the world and tell everyone the good news. Jesus died for us. That is the good news.

Steven Curtis Chapman has a song called "Live Out Loud" that paints a picture I can't shake. He asks us to imagine winning the lottery, then stuffing the money in a coffee can, hiding it away, never spending a dime, and never telling a soul.

That would be crazy, right? Nobody would do that.

But that's exactly what we do when we keep Jesus to ourselves. We've been given the greatest treasure there is, something that changes lives forever, and too often we bury it.

What We're Keeping Hidden

Think about what Jesus offers. In Galatians 5:22–23, Paul lists the fruit the Holy Spirit grows in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Add to that contentment and a real purpose for living.

Now read that list again, and think about your neighbor. Your coworker. The person in line at the grocery store.

Those are the very things people are looking for. They're searching for them in careers, relationships, screens, and shopping carts. And the answer has been sitting in our coffee can the whole time.

The world doesn't need a better Sunday program. It needs Christians who live with so much love and joy that people stop and ask, "What do you have, and how can I get it?"

Let's Dig Up the Can

I'm not writing this to point fingers. I'm writing it because I need the reminder too. So let's start where real change always starts, on our knees.

Lord, help us not to forget what You've given us. Forgive us for the times we've been more focused on ourselves than on the people you've placed around us. Light a fresh fire in our hearts. Give us a passion to go out and serve You, to love our neighbors, and to tell the world that You change lives. Let Your church be Your church again. In Jesus' name, amen.

This week, take one step. Pray for a neighbor by name. Offer a hand to someone who's struggling. Share what Jesus has done in your life. Don't leave the treasure in the can.  If you are looking for a simple way to share your faith and start a conversation, take a look at our You Are Forever Loved cards.  They send people to the site YouAreForeverLoved.com where they can find hope and encouragement in their relationship with Jesus.