Separating the Precious From The Vile (Jer.15:19)

“I resolve to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ the Messiah and Him crucified.” I Cor.2:2

There are only a few temporal things I have inherited, and those things were a second-hand inheritance (I inherited because my mother had inherited them). As a child, 10-12 years of age, I remember my mother inherited some money from the estate of two maiden aunts who were doctors and had no children of their own on to whom they could pass their inheritance. So the nieces and nephews became the recipients of their legacy. I don’t know how much Mother received but being the unselfish person she was, she asked each of the children, still at home (probably six), what special one thing they would like to have.

Mother was a single, uneducated woman who worked at a laundry to care for her many children, so she had many needs on which she could have spent her inheritance and no one would have faulted her. But because of her complete selflessness she wanted her children to have a special desire of their heart they otherwise would probably never have, regardless if she had her desires and needs met (she knew Jesus would meet her needs). I remember my sister, Maxine, who was the sibling just older than I, wanted a pair of shoe skates. I don’t remember what the other children’s requests were, but they were similar in money value. As I had thought about the possibility of my receiving something I prized and desired that I probably would not ever have the possibility of getting (at least until I was old enough to buy it myself), there was only one thing I greatly desired – a piano. Not realizing the great cost, compared to the other children’s requested gifts, I boldly came to my mother who had offered this, what seemed to me as an unthinkable, ‘priceless’ gift, and I asked for a piano.

When Papa lived at home and we had moved from the farm into town, we lived in a big house on the other side of town, and we owned a big player piano – with the scrolls. Mother loved classical music so that is what most of the music was on our scrolls. Since I was preschool I learned to love music and could pick out the melody with my right hand, I just “banged” with my left. When I was a little older (maybe six or seven) a lady at our church noticed I could play the melody of the hymns we sang with my right hand and she took an interest in me and taught me how to play chords to go with the melody of the right hand, so was the beginning of my two-handed “playing by ear.” I never got to take lessons but when I was in high school and then college, I learned the notes and a few terms of music theory from being in choir and taking voice lessons. Since then the Lord has caused me to “hear” the combination of notes and chords, etc. I can’t explain it but I know the Lord gave me this gift, then He opened doors of opportunity for me to learn more and more about music (mostly hymns).

I have told all of this to say, my mother recognized my “gift” and wanted me to have a piano. For whatever reason I don't remember, we had to leave the player piano at our “big house” when we moved, she got me my requested piano. It was an old upright but nice, and it was my most treasured possession. I spent many hours just playing my piano and worshipping in song. Although a different piano from that old upright so many years ago, my present piano is my most treasured material belonging. It is just a temporal thing and not to be compared to my eternal treasure of “knowing Jesus, the Messiah,” and being intimately acquainted with Him; to have Him walk and talk with me daily. He cares about my cares and joys and His Holy Spirit fills me with Himself and gives me the power to overcome every trial and temptation Satan may throw my way.
What a ‘precious’ gift.

Besides the precious treasure of “knowing” Jesus and have His Spirit live within me He has given me the greatest treasure – eternal life – and will some day come to take me home to be with Him forever! Because of this knowledge we, as believers, must focus on separating the “precious from the vile” (Jer.15:19). The ‘precious’ things are the eternal things; the ‘vile’ things are the temporal things. These ‘vile’ things may be attitudes (doubts, unbelief,etc.), selfishness and sins of any kind. The word ‘precious’ in the Hebrew means, “valuable, to be prized;” the word “vile” means “worthless.” Although there are many temporal ‘things’ we treasure here and now, we must focus on the most ‘precious’ (the eternal) things. Psalm 116:15 tell us that the death of His saints are 'precious' to the Lord.

If my house were to catch on fire, what would be the most ‘precious’ things I would try to rescue on my way out? Of course my family would come first. Next, I guess would be my albums of pictures of our family and friends. But even these things will “pass away” - the silver fish can eat them, water damage can destroy those images on paper, age can dim those portraits of memories and times gone by. I would like to rescue my Bibles in which I have made notes and markings I would not like to lose, but they too can be destroyed, so those books I can hold in my hand can also pass away. But the Word of God will never pass away. Though heaven and earth may pass away, God’s Word will never pass away (Matt.24:35).

I read a story by E. MacLelland that told of a newly saved man who was sitting on the porch reading his Bible. A friend passing by stopped and asked, “Tom, what are you reading?” “Oh,” said Tom, “I’m reading my legacy, and I’m so happy to see all to which I am an heir.” “Who died?” asked the friend. The young believer replied, “The one who died was my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and now His inheritance is mine!”

If we are His children, then we are His heirs also, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ (sharing his inheritance with Him), only we are to share His suffering if we are to share His glory (Rom.8:17)! We must focus on those things that will not pass away; those things that will not wear out, rust or decay; all of those “things” are the ‘precious’ we are to separate from the ‘vile.’ All the things of this earth, become ‘vile’ (or worthless) in comparison to knowing Jesus and the eternal life He has promised us; and the fellowship of the Godhead, and the spiritual gifts of the Holy spirit He has given us here and now.

Here are some ‘precious’ things that are in our inheritance package on which we should be focusing:
1) Godly wisdom (Prov.8:11);
2) God’s Word – Truth (Mark 13:31);
3) Godly counsel (Ps. 16:6,7);
4) fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore (Ps. 16:11);
5) righteousness, peace and vindication from opposition (Isa.54:17;
6) the conqueror’s crown (I Pet. 5:4);
7) the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7);
8) eternal life (Heb.1:14);
9) forgiveness of sins (Acts 26:18);
10) the Holy Spirit(Eph.1:13-14)
11) our death (Ps.116:15)

All the states in the United States say there are hundreds of thousands of dollars of inherited money which have never been claimed. The money is just waiting for the one with the right to claim it. If we are children of God, we have the right to claim all that is our Father’s. Most of us are living immeasurably below the privileges of a “child of God.” Have you claimed your inheritance? Are you separating the 'precious' from the 'vile'?