What do your children value? Reflecting on the way children treasure the simplest things can teach us important lessons in life about what we treasure.

My girls are obsessed with little bits and pieces. Their bits and pieces might be a compilation of parts from toys, Barbie accessories, bracelets or plastic jewellery. They love anything little. It’s the kind of stuff that I would call junk, but my Esther and Magdalene treasure it.

Magdalene is forever collecting her ‘treasures’ and putting them in a plastic basket I originally bought for the bath toys in the bathroom. She insists on redecorating her bedside table with these treasures. Esther also loves her little treasures, whether parts of Barbie accessories or My Little Ponies collected from McDonald’s Happy Meals.

The treasures clutter the girls’ rooms, but I dare not throw them away because these treasures are theirs. It’s a battle: I need to let go as they learn how to manage their toys and look after their belongings.

The Lesson for Us as Parents

As their mum, these treasures are plastic bits of junk that I would happily throw in the bin. But to the girls, the trash is seen as treasure — special items to play with and store.

While I was cleaning up Magdalene’s trash and treasure pile for the millionth time, I thought about the little things in my life that I treasure. What things do I hold on to, despite them having no real value, that keep me occupied?

Living in the Western world, it could be any myriad of things. I don’t think there is anything wrong with having a healthy interest in decorating our home or maintaining a collection of some kind, providing we don’t become obsessed with it.

Counting Your Blessings

As a young girl, trophies were my treasure, and I worked hard to get them. Nowadays, I work hard to treasure the time I have with my girls while they’re young. It’s not easy to treasure this time because these kids don’t think like me. They create mess, and their dependence on me can be tiring.

But often, it takes a stranger to walk into your house and appreciate what you have to make you realise the life you have is a blessed one. Even though it’s not always easy, the life Jacob and I have created together is a dream some young people aspire to. That realisation brings instant gratitude to my heart. It’s something to treasure and protect.

I am always encouraged by the Scripture in Matthew 6:21 —

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I don’t want to be obsessed with temporary things, but it’s hard to do when you’re in a busy season of mothering little kids and being influenced by what is shared on social media.

But God sees my life beyond the Instagram filters and the Facebook highlight reel. He sees the struggles and the mental fight I am in to get through each day. He also reminds me of the fruit of my labours, which I often forget to notice.

The Reward That Lasts

It takes hard work to find valuable treasure. Temporary treasure is easy to find, and in some cases, worthless.

If you find yourself obsessing over material or temporary things, maybe your heart is in the wrong place; maybe there is a new treasure for you to seek?

What do you treasure in life at the moment? Do your kids like to collect plastic toys and call them treasure?

Originally published at The Plumbette. Image by Katie Emslie at Unsplash.