June 27, 2023 - Good Morning! It's Tuesday, June 27.
Our focus today is on a man named James Smithson. Never heard of him? Ok, he was born in Paris in 1765 and made his fortune as a chemist. Still not ringing any bells? Alright - this should do it - Smithson, an Englishman, died on June 27, 1829, and left all his money to the United States to create an institute of education, an institute that bears his name, the Smithsonian.
You can visit the Smithsonian's complex of 19 museums this summer in Washington, D.C. But you better schedule a long trip, because the "nation's attic" contains over 150 million items. What a collection! What a treasure! As a boy, I loved stories about treasure chests and buried treasure. I searched for treasure by digging holes in my backyard, and was very close to finding it when my mother said, "Cut it out! You're ruining our yard!"
People still dream of treasure today - winning the lottery, finding a priceless item at a garage sale, etc. These dreams tell us a lot about our priorities. The Word of God, as always, offers a different view.
"Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 6:19-21.
Meet you back here tomorrow,
Bro. David
dmathis@fbccenter.org
