The Treasure
By: Jean Boonstra
Mrs. Lee’s class is going on a field trip. Gracie has a treasure with her.
Gracie pulled the drawstring on her bag tightly closed. She wrapped her arms tightly around it.
“What do you have in the bag?” Harold asked.
“Something special,” Gracie said mysteriously.
Harold and Logan leaned across the aisle curiously. “How special?” Logan asked.
“What is in that bag, Gracie?” her seatmate Lana asked. “You’ve been holding it like it’s a treasure this whole trip.”
Gracie grinned. “A treasure? Oh I don’t know, but it is something really special.”
Harold and Logan leaned over her and stared at the drawstring bag.
“It’s too small to hold a real treasure,” Harold said skeptically.
“Is it a bag of money?” Logan asked.
“Logan!” Lana answered. “Why would Gracie bring a bag of money on a school field trip?”
“I don’t know, Gracie’s the one with the treasure,” Logan said scratching his head.
“Gracie,” Lana asked. “Is your treasure metal?”
Gracie shook her head.
“How about paper?” Logan interjected. “Money can be made of paper, you know.”
“It’s not made of metal or paper,” Gracie said.
“Is it bigger than a breadbox?” Lana asked.
“A breadbox?” Harold scowled. “Lana where are your detective skills?”
Lana ignored Harold’s comment. “Well, Gracie?”
Gracie wrapped her arms protectively around the bag as the bus jostled over a bump. “Smaller than a breadbox,” she said.
“Is it a puppy?” Harold asked.
“Harold,” Gracie groaned. “Why would I keep a puppy closed up in a bag? Puppies have to breathe!”
“It was just a guess,” Harold shrugged.
“Gracie, just tell us what’s in the bag,” Logan said, exasperated.
Chaplain Jake leaned over. “What’s going on back there?” he asked.
“Chaplain Jake,” Harold said animatedly, “Gracie brought a treasure on the field trip.”
“A treasure?” Jake asked. “Well, now I’m curious.”
Gracie giggled. “Everyone is trying to guess.”
“It isn’t money or a puppy,” Lana explained. “Or anything metal or bigger than a breadbox.”
“Hmm, I see,” Jake said as he thought. “I know what it is!”
“What Chaplain Jake?” Gracie asked.
“Is it your Bible? God’s Word is the greatest treasure in the whole world!” Jake exclaimed.
Lana, Harold, and Logan turned to Gracie expectantly. “Well?” Lana asked.
“Well,” Gracie said slowly. “Chaplain Jake is right.”
“I am?” Jake asked. “It’s your Bible?”
“No,” Gracie said opening the bag. “You’re right that God’s Word is the greatest treasure. But that’s not what I have in here.” She carefully lifted out a plastic container.
“It’s cookies!” Harold shouted.
“My mom helped me bake them for the class. I don’t want them to break,” Gracie said carefully putting the plastic container back into the bag.
“Cookies might not be the greatest treasure, but they’re a pretty good runner-up!” Jake said.
“Hold on tight to the cookies, we’re going over a bump,” Lana said with a laugh.
Gracie wrapped her arms around her treasure. Not the greatest treasure, but still something pretty special.
Psalm 119:162 “I rejoice in your word like one who discovers a great treasure.”
