Wednesday, March 16, 2011

There was a great famine in Samaria. Behold, they besieged it, until a donkey’s head was sold for eighty shekels of silver, and the fourth part of a kab of dove’s dung for five shekels of silver. 2 Kings 6:25

How would you like to own that concession stand? "Dove's Dung! Fresh Hot Dove's Dung! Five shekels a pint! Got to Get your Dove's Dung! Can't watch the siege without your Dove's Dung! Get it while it's hot!" When you haven't eaten in a few weeks, almost anything can look pretty tasty. I guess I haven't really been hungry yet! It actually may not be quite as gross as it sounds. Some scholars believe there is evidence that this was a common name for field peas. And what good are black-eyed peas without a ham-hock? No wonder they didn't use them!


Either way, it was high dollar goods, desperate time, desperate measure "food" for those eager to pay for what they would usually turn their nose up at.


"Value" is based on a lot of variables, but their hunger gave value out of all proportion to such fare. And I have to wonder if those guys who had the donkey fillet with dung chutney didn't have a little buyer's remorse!


It makes me wonder if some of the things I've treasured over the years will be in the category of dove's dung, despised in light of the heavenly treasure I'll be enjoying in, well, Heaven. Truth is, some of them fall in it now, like Paul said, "Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as dung, in order that I may gain Christ" Phil. 3:8


Don't treasure dung. Treasure what Christ values, and you'll never have buyer's remorse!

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