As I write this week’s blog the show, American Pickers just came on TV. The reality show’s main characters, Mike and Frank, go to places where people have been collecting, antiques, treasures or depending on how you look at it junk to buy things that they see as having value.

Many times the treasures that they seek are not visible when they first walk in the building. They do not hesitate to go after what they want. They climb over piles of stuff, go in attics and dig through boxes to get to the prize. They are not afraid to get dirty.

I have also seen the guys offer to pay more for an item than what the seller was asking. They do this for one of two reasons. The first is that they are honest and they know that the item is worth a lot more than the seller thought. The second reason is that the item is something that they really want, a true treasure in their eyes.

God sees us as a treasure. He wasn’t afraid to get dirty to rescue us from our lostness. Think for a moment about what junk God had to clear away to get to you. Did you look like a prize when he found you? Even those of us that were saved at an early age still had sin that was dirty to a holy God. He not only rescued us out of the junk pile, but he was also willing to pay a high price. He paid the ultimate price. He gave his son for us.

Since we are a treasure to God, what right do we have to act like junk? With gratitude, we need to live a valuable life for the one who bought us.

“You know that in the past you were living in a worthless way, a way passed down from the people who lived before you. But you were saved from that useless life. You were bought, not with something that ruins like gold or silver, but with the precious blood of Christ, who was like a pure and perfect lamb.” (1 Peter 1:18-19) (NCV)