I remember looking for rubies on the playground as an eight-year-old. I would search for them often. Of course there were no real rubies to be found in the sand, but there were these tiny, red stones in the sand which represented beautiful rubies to me. So, I would search for them like treasure.

I loved searching for them. While I didn’t know Jesus as a child, I know He was searching for me. He knew when I would be ready. He knew that one day I would search for Him, just as I was searching for those rubies in the sand. He knew the same about you, too.

Rubies are beautiful. They sparkle and have worth. I can’t help to think of the crimson color of rubies – the beautiful color of the blood shed by our Savior who died for you and me.

Of even greater worth than rubies is the treasure of Jesus Christ residing within us. In His gentleness, He seeks us out and fills us with His love. Along with the great love of our Savior, He gives us so many treasures including wisdom deep within us.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8:10-11

I never kept the little rubies I searched for as an eight-year-old. I simply liked the treasure seeking of it. But the one treasure that I will always hold onto is the love of Christ. He wants us to hold onto Him. Hold onto what is true. When we hold onto Him, we find our true worth.

Wisdom is more precious than rubies. And you, too are more precious than rubies. You hold value within you that is far greater than anything on this earth you may try to hold onto.

You are valuable, you are worthy, and you are a treasure to Christ. When I was eight and so many years after that, I didn’t see value or worth in myself. But now that I have found the beautiful treasure of His love, I can now say that I do see the value.

I am glad He gave me the wonder to search for those “rubies” when I was eight. I am glad He instilled wonder and the joy of a treasure hunt. And I am so glad He allowed me to find the treasure of His love.

Wisdom speaks to you and me and says: Your value has been found because of the beautiful crimson shed from Jesus Christ, the One who dwells within you.

The world sees the value of the ruby but we see the value of Christ. We see and know the worth of His wisdom, the worth of His love. And He sees your worth because you, too, are more precious than rubies.

If you have some time this week, I encourage you to read and reflect on Proverbs 8.

Proverbs 8:24-29 – “When there were no oceans, I was given birth, when there were no springs abounding with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before He made the earth or its fields or any of the dust of the world, I was there when He set the heavens in place, when He marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His command, and when He marked out the foundations of the earth.”

The entire chapter of Proverbs 8 reflects the beauty of wisdom. There was such beauty and wonder of those “ruby” treasure hunts I was searching for when I was eight, and there is even more beauty and wonder in the treasure of my Father, my Creator, my Counselor who offers beautiful wisdom.

May He give us wisdom today that is far more precious than rubies.