Pauper to Prince

Every one has their favorite kind of story. Maybe it’s adventure. Maybe romance. Maybe sci-fi. Maybe a good mystery. My favorite is the pauper to prince; the underdog to victor kind of story. And if it’s based on truth – all the better. You might not be surprised then to know that two of my favorite movies of all time are “Hoosiers” and “Sea Biscuit”. I started young rooting for the underdog. My favorite children’s book was and still is, Watty Piper’s “The Little Engine that Could”. I’ve considered that these stories appeal to me because my own accomplishments seem quite ordinary…nothing too flashy. It delights me to read of others that have had more grandiose experiences in life.

Knowing this, it would come as little surprise to learn of my intrigue with the adventure of Conrad Reed in 1799. Twelve-year-old Conrad, a poor German immigrant’s son, was fishing in Little Meadow Creek where it meandered through their small farm in North Carolina. A large glistening rock in the creek caught his eye. He lugged it home and told his father where he had found it. His father agreed it was unique, but he had no idea it was a 17 pound gold nugget. What did they do with it? Well…it worked perfectly fine for a doorstop. How many times they walked past this rock over the next three years, not realizing it’s worth, is anyone’s guess. Conrad’s father, John, about this time, decided it might be worth checking with a jeweler to see if it had any value. The shrewd jeweler identified it as gold and after discussing price, they settled on $3.50! This was about a weeks wage in those days, but soon Conrad’s father found out that it was a actually worth $3600.00. He, of course, was not pleased that he had been taken advantage of, but on the upside, he was certain of where he could find more just like it. Thus began the start of the Reed Mine. It became known as the richest mine in the South and it boasted of the 28 pound nugget found there. It was here in North Carolina that the first United States Gold Rush happened. Over the next three decades, 150 pounds of gold was mined from the Reed Mine. Mr. Reed died at the age of 88 – a rich man. Had he not taken the initiative to finally have the nugget examined, he would have led a very different life.

How many times do we walk by our treasures and never give them a thought?

Matthew 13:44 tells us of Jesus explaining the parable of the treasure in a field. Unlike John Conrad, this man knew what the treasure was that he had found. He recognized it’s worth, so much so, that he sold everything he had including his home and used that money to buy the field with the treasure. What was this treasure? With a little digging (no pun intended) we discover that Jesus was using it to represent the Kingdom of God.

So many walk by this treasure every day. It’s not hard to find. A Christian friend can tell you where to find it. A pastor is well equipped to lead you to it. And the inspired Word of God (the Bible) outlines the path to receive it. It’s worth is so much more than Conrad Reed found in his large gold nugget. The gold was worth $3600.00 but no one can put a value on eternal life with God – simply because it’s immeasurable.

Until next time…keep on readin’ and I’ll keep on writin’.