Sometimes treasure is to be found in the most unexpected of places. Take for example Emil Knodell who spent $100 on an old chest of drawers at a yard sale in Belville, Texas; only to get it home and discover a secret drawer full of cash, jewellery and American Civil War memorabilia worth a small fortune.
Or take the Russian author Leo Tolstoy who spent much of his life searching for answers to the questions, ‘Why am I here?’ and ‘What is my life for?’ He thought the answers could be found in the pursuit of self-indulgence, relationships, fame and riches but drew a blank everywhere he searched. While his contemporaries were barely asking the questions, Tolstoy was brought to the verge of suicide, by the thought that his life might have no ultimate meaning that would survive his death.
In the end he found the answer that he had been looking for in the most unexpected of places. Like Emil’s chest, the treasure had been under his nose the whole time had he had eyes to see it. His answer lay in the ancient Christian faith of the Russian peasants, whose trust in Jesus meant they knew exactly why they were here and what their life was for.
