On November 16, 1992, retired gardener Eric Hawes was asked to help his neighbor, a farmer, find his hammer. Using his metal detector, Hawes found something else instead. He found “15,000 gold and silver coins, gold jewelry and numerous small items of silver tableware, including pepper pots, ladles and spoons” (www.britishmuseum.org). It is estimated that this Roman treasure, better known as the Hoxne Hoard, was buried around 407-408 A.D. as Roman rule in Britain was deteriorating. The coins represent eight different emperors and all were in excellent condition. The British Museum purchased the treasure and a reward was paid to Hawes. Hawes gave the hammerless farmer, Peter Whatling, a cut of the 1.75 million British pounds paid him.

A Military Police officer once found “all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ” (cf. Col. 2:1-3) when he pulled over a preacher that was driving one mile per hour over the speed limit on a military base. The MP agreed to study with the preacher and obeyed the gospel. People have been given or bought for nearly nothing a Bible containing a Searching For Truth or a Jule Miller video and through that found something much more precious than fine gold (cf. Ps. 19:10). Co-workers have humored Christian co-workers, accepting an invitation to come to a seminar, gospel meeting, or other worship service, and by that have found this eternal treasure (cf. 1 Tim. 6:19; Mat. 13:44). People searching for something of meaning and value in their lives may not realize what a great treasure there is to be found, buried among so many rivaling things. Yet, we know the great value of living the Christian life. Let us put ourselves in a position to help people uncover the heavenly hoard we ourselves, by His grace, have found. Treasure is not meant to be hoarded. Eternal reward is meant to be shared.

–Neal Pollard