Pyrite

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ.

Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

We had struck it rich! That glittering gold in our pockets was going to pay out big! My friend and I were at camp meeting, long, long ago, and we were sitting in an afternoon activity that was all about rocks and minerals. I know, it sounds soooooo exciting. It was actually pretty cool. Towards the end, we were given the task of panning for gold. There was a trough full of sand and gravel that, we were told, contained gold. So, we went to work slowly filtering out the rocks and sand to find the gold beneath. Sure enough, after some time, we began to see gold flakes in our pans! It was amazing! When all was said and done, my friend and I (and nearly everyone else in the activity) lined their pockets with riches untold. It wasn’t until later that we came to find out that the “gold” we had found was actually pyrite, also called “Fool’s Gold.” It looked like gold, but it wasn’t. It was just another rock that happened to be shiny like gold.

In our daily lives, we often line our pockets with Fool’s Gold. We think we’ve found something that will make us happy, rich, fulfilled, even though God clearly tells us it won’t. These things look great on the outside, but are just rocks that weigh us down. Fool’s Gold can take various forms in our lives. For some, their Fool’s Gold is the opposite sex, believing that having a significant other will somehow fill the emptiness they feel inside. For others, drugs, alcohol, or self-harm are their Fool’s Gold; seeking to numb the pain they feel. Still, others have Fool’s Gold that is pornographic; desiring fulfillment through lust. Others’ Fool’s Gold is pride. They can’t allow themselves to be humble enough to ask for help, or admit they are wrong.

The Apostle Paul’s Fool’s Gold was his pride in religion; keeping the law was ultimately the source of life. Yet, he states in our verse that “Everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus.” He is the real Gold.

Today, and every day, pray that God will show you the Fool’s Gold in your life. Pray that He will give you the strength to let it go. Pray that He will show you the true Gold that leads to life, Jesus Christ. Let Him show you the riches that await you in the Kingdom of God.