Swap Meet

Trading Trash for Treasure

White folding tables bracket one end of a large room. On them, plastic stands hold printed pages upright:

Gently used items form colorful patterns against the white background as ladies place former treasures near the appropriate label, then turn away. With interest, the ladies browse through others’ relinquished items with one hand while holding a numbered piece of paper in the other. The intrigue grows as they spot a “new” treasure but must leave it until their number is called. Will someone else claim it first?

Swap Meet

This was the scene last Friday evening at our ladies’ swap meet at church. Enthusiastically, we exchanged life stories, food, and—of course— “things.” And look what I brought home!

I have no idea where it will go yet—because we are currently in an apartment between houses—but it’s a good reminder. (Plus, there is the tiniest bit of glitter on it that catches the light and makes me smile.)

Swap meets like this are fun. After all, one person’s trash is another one’s treasure, right?

 

Swapping perspectives

Still, as I dressed for the meet, I thought about how our perspectives of trash and treasure can get…well…swapped. At times, we see a difficult task and trash it for the perceived treasure of ease. Or we trade the treasure of time for the trash of distraction. Perhaps we even turn away from what we need to do and embrace what we want to do.

Paul warns Timothy of dangerous “swaps” in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 (AMP):

“For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine and accurate instruction [that challenges them with God’s truth]; but wanting to have their ears tickled [with something pleasing], they will accumulate for themselves [many] teachers [one after another, chosen] to satisfy their own desires and to support the errors they hold, and will turn their ears away from the truth and will wander off into myths and man-made fictions [and will accept the unacceptable].”

No swap for Truth

Then, Paul guides Timothy in how to avoid such swaps—in how to maintain a proper view of what’s trash and what’s treasure:

“But as for you, be clear-headed in every situation [stay calm and cool and steady], endure every hardship [without flinching], do the work of an evangelist, fulfill [the duties of] your ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:5, AMP)

I offer a brief paraphrase of this verse for recall at a moment’s notice: 

• Be purposeful. (Be intentionally level-headed and self-controlled.)
• Be persistent. (Remain under the hardship we are called to endure.)
• Be efficient. (Do the work God calls us to. Avoid distractions. [process])
• Be effective. (Seek to accomplish what God desires. [outcome])

And how do we do this? Through immersion in God’s Word. No myths. No errors. All truth.

So enjoy a swap meet now and then! Trade something old for something new-to-you! But when the temptation arises to swap truth for “tickling,” refuse to relinquish the treasure of his Word.

Have you ever felt like you swapped treasure for trash? Or maybe you are smiling as you remember an intentional choice of treasure over trash–and the fulfilling results of that choice. I invite you to share your thoughts and experiences below.