Treasure in Hand

CBS News carried a heartwarming story about nine-year-old Jameson, the young Philadelphia Phillies fan whose dream was to catch or acquire a big league baseball. His parents bought tickets for seats positioned along the third base line, where the ball girl routinely tossed foul balls on the field up to fans in the stands. Sure enough, in the fifth inning, Jameson got a ball. Later, while watching the game, he overheard a woman ask the ball girl if she could get a ball for her mother, Donna, who was at the game to celebrate her 80th birthday. As you can imagine, youth are the priority, and the chances of Donna getting a ball were remote. So Jameson had his prize, but several innings later, he did something astounding for a boy with treasure in hand. ​

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​Meditation
Luke 12:34--For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
 
As you guessed, Jameson gave his ball to a shocked Donna. He figured that because she was old, she would not have as many chances to get a ball like he would, with a lifetime of ballgames ahead of him. When asked by a reporter how he could be happier without the ball, since he would be leaving with nothing, the young boy said, “True, but I will leave feeling really good about myself. So does it really matter that I left without a ball?”[1]
            
Jameson’s treasure was generously blessing an octogenarian. His act showed a heart that understood that what he had inside was far greater than a hardball in his hand. And what makes this story even more amazing is that in the ninth inning, Jameson received another ball, so he went home doubly blessed.
            
What’s your treasure?  The Apostle Paul wrote in Colossians 2:2,3:
I want their hearts to be encouraged and joined together in love, so that they may have all the riches of assured understanding and have the knowledge of God’s mystery—Christ. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in Him.
Think about that last sentence. It literally says it all. Jameson’s happiness was in understanding the generosity of his act. How much greater even is the joy in the knowledge that there is no treasure on earth as great as in having Jesus as our Lord, Savior, Master, Brother, Friend.  Something to think about . . . in reveration!
 
Inspiration
“For to be the slave of God (to … douleuein theō) is the greatest human boast, and is a more precious treasure not only than freedom but even than wealth or dominion or anything that mortals cherish.”—J. Harris Murray in  New Studies in Biblical Theology: Volume 8: Slave of Christ: A New Testament Metaphor for Total Devotion to Christ, p. 134.
 
©2025 Daniel York  ARR.  Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause.  To receive these devotionals, go to www.firstcause.org and click the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box.  Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed, subject to the inclusion of this copyright notice.      
 
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth.  (Holman CSB)


[1]https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=CBS%20News%20about%20Jameson%20and%20Donna