Natural Treasure

Claire Black: This is True Girl, a podcast for girls and their moms, and sometimes even dads listen in, too. Just what does the Bible say about the value of guys and girls? Let’s explore their God-given differences . . . one drive at a time. You’re about to grow closer to each other and closer to Jesus. 

Look around, and you’ll see something somewhere that puts girls and boys in competition. I mean I constantly hear people say, “Girls rule, and boys drool.” That’s not nice. How do we understand the true value of being a girl and appreciating boys in the middle of those messages?

Glad you asked. Dannah Gresh is going to help us sort it out today. Dannah and her husband Bob coauthored. At the end of the podcast, Bob will invite you and your dad to do one of these easy father/daughter challenges from that book. 

You could also do the special activity with your grandfather, a big brother, or another father figure in your life. 

Let’s get moving. It’s time for season 2, episode 5, “Natural Treasure.” Here’s Dannah. 

Dannah Gresh: Today is a big day. 

Staci Rudolph: Well, hello to you too, Dannah. 

Dannah: Hey Staci, I’m sorry. I’m just so excited for today!

Staci: Go on, tell us. 

Dannah: We’re going to go on a treasure hunt, but not just any treasure hunt though. It’s a very, very special one. 

Staci: Well, alright then. 

Dannah: I’m ready to jump in. Let me set the scene for this story, Staci. 

It was on a cool September day and in Wedderburn, Australia, Kevin Hilliard decided to go on a stroll with his metal detector. He was about to give up, when suddenly, he heard beeping. The sign that there was surely unseen treasure, just under the dirt.

Now, I’m sure Kevin was excited, but he probably assumed that he was about to dig up yet another missing earring or maybe a paperclip. But that is not what he discovered on this treasure hunt, not on this day, not in this place. Instead, Kevin began to scrape away the dirt at the surface of the earth. 

He was used to finding something not too far below, but this time he had to do some serious digging. All the while, the beeping invited him to go deeper and deeper until suddenly, Kevin Hilliard saw gold! And not just a tiny bit of gold, but a massive golden nugget. He actually unearthed the largest known gold nugget ever discovered with a metal detector. 

Staci: Wow! I can’t imagine the look on his face when he saw it. 

Dannah: Yeah, and I bet he was in shock. It’s not the largest ever discovered but it’s the largest still intact chunk of gold on the entire planet today. It’s so big, they named it The Hand of Faith. Did I mention it’s shaped like a hand?

Well, anyway, Kevin actually ended up selling it for over one million dollars. But today, that sixty-two-pound piece of gold is worth five million dollars. 

Staci: Gold, silver, pearls, emeralds, diamonds, rubies—treasure hunters have been looking for these for ages. 

Dannah: That’s right. During the 1800s, over 300,000 people traveled west during the gold rush. They would spend six months traveling with their family just so that they could maybe, possibly, find treasure. And after all that, they might end up not finding anything of worth and value. 

Staci: That’s crazy. Well, true girl, today I want to tell you something: you are way more valuable than any of the gold and diamonds found in the earth. You too, Dannah Gresh. 

Dannah: Oh, I needed a reminder of that today. It’s easy to forget. 

Staci: Before we move on to finding more treasure, let’s read our power verse for today. It’s found in Proverbs chapter 31, verse 10. It says, 

Who can find a virtuous and capable wife? She is more precious than rubies.

Dannah: Wow, that’s just so important to remember. Now, don’t forget we’ve talked about Proverbs 31 before. It’s a chapter on what a woman can be, not what she must be. 

Staci: Right. She can be a wife, but even if she isn’t, any woman or girl of God can be like the woman described in this verse. She can be virtuous and capable. 

Dannah: So, what’s that mean? Virtuous? Capable? 

Staci: Well, today our understanding of the word virtuous means she behaves well with the boys. Is that what this means?

Dannah: Well, it could include that. She’s probably not flirty and stuff. The Proverbs 31 woman is not like that. But that would be a really incomplete meaning. It’s kind of sad for me that a lot of modern teachings limit the conversation to just that, so let me help broaden our understanding. 

Let’s remember that this book of the Bible was written in ancient Hebrew. The words virtuous and capable take the place of the words (I’m going to try to pronounce these ancient Hebrew words) eshet chayil. Can you say that, Staci?

Staci: Eshet chayil.

Dannah: That’s pretty good. Eshet means “woman” chayil means “power.” But because it’s a really specific kind of woman and special kind of power, the next twenty . . . count them . . . twenty verses try to describe that kind of power and that kind of woman. 

Staci: It takes that many verses to explain two words?

Dannah: Yup. And we looked at some of the qualities of this kind of woman in episode 2. So, let’s just look at the quality of her power today. 

Staci: Okay.

Dannah: Here’s one thing that’s clear as you read to the end of this magnificent list of character qualities. This woman is not powerful in her own strength. Being all the things in Proverbs 31, it takes a special kind of strength, more than any woman could possibly do on her own. Then we see that the last quality about her mentioned in these 20 verses is this: she is a woman who fears the Lord. 

Staci: That means she respects and obeys God. 

Dannah: Yes. He is the source of her strength and her femininity. That is why she’s worth so much. 

Staci: That’s cool. Hey let’s talk about that worth just for a minute, because I noticed something, the verse says a woman who is empowered by God is worth more than rubies? Now, that might seem funny if your mom wears a diamond as her wedding ring, which a lot of married women do. We girls like diamonds, so we think they’re the bomb. But I did some research, did you know that rubies are actually more rare and more valuable than diamonds?

So, this verse is saying that a woman who is eshet chayil, that is she finds her strength in God. She’s very very rare and worth much. 

Dannah: Exactly. So, let’s talk. If you are worth that much, you should be treated like it. 

Staci: Come one now, you know it. Let’s talk about the Hand of Faith, that big gold nugget, do you think it’s just laying around in someone’s basement? No! It’s behind bullet proof glass and on display for people to see. 

Right now, it’s in Biloxi, Mississippi. In case you’re feeling up for a long drive today. And there are security guards with their eyes locked on that chunk of gold. Did you hear Dannah say that it’s worth five million dollars?

Dannah: In other words, what Staci’s trying to tell you, is that it’s protected and treated like a treasure. 

Bob Gresh: Okay, this is where a dad needs to bust into the conversation. 

Dannah: Hey, Bob.

Bob: Hey. Do you know what Dannah’s dad said to me when I first started dating her? 

Dannah: Oh, I remember.

Bob: Yeah, he said I finger print her after every date. Meaning keep your hands off my treasure. It was a good line . . . a scary line. I have two daughters now, and guess what? I’ve been kind of the same way with them. You know why? Because I know they’re valuable, and I intend to protect them in every way. 

If your dad or grandpa or big brother is like that, boo-yah. As men, we know it’s part of our job to be security guards for our girls.

Dannah: But hopefully, you, my true girl, are a few years away from dating.

Bob: So, this is exactly the right time for dads to get to work. Dad, you have to help your daughter understand her value in Christ. Talk about it together, and read what the Bible says about it, and go geocaching.

Dannah: Geocaching?

Bob: Yup, just going to throw that in there.

Staci: Geocaching?

Bob: Yeah, geocaching. 

Staci: What?

Bob: The dads know what it is. You could call it the largest treasure hunt in the world. You use GPS clues to find treasures that other people have buried in secret locations. Those locations are called “caches” . . . so, geocaching.

Dannah: Geocaching.

Staci: That’s cool. Does there happen to be gold in those caches?

Bob: No, just trinkets, and you have to put them back when you do it. It’s just all about finding the box. 

Dannah: The joy is in finding it. 

Bob: And that is exactly what a dad needs to teach his daughter, to find the truth about her value. As we’ve already talked about it, sometimes the world can make it really hard to remember and see your value as a girl, but it’s there. It’s a treasure. 

Dannah: Yeah, you are a treasure, true girl.

Bob: So, Dad, I’m here to make sure you feel confident about something: you are her treasure guard. You can teach her to understand and remember her incredible worth in a very unique way. 

So, today, your father/daughter challenge is to go geocaching. Yup. Or plan your own little treasure hunt. Not so you can find trinkets, but so you can use that time to talk about what it means to be . . . what’s that word you guys used? Eshet?

Dannah: Eshet Chayil.

Bob: Exactly. 

Claire: Geocaching sounds super cool, especially if it means time with my dad. And if you’re not into gadgets and GPS, you can just plan an old fashion treasure hunt together. In fact, Bob and Dannah Gresh have one all written up for you in 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters. In the book you’ll find easy to use instructions and even prewritten clues for you. 

Get a copy of 8 Great Dates for Dads and Daughters and learn more about MyTrueGirl.com. And while you’re at our website, look around because you’ll find lots of tools to help your daughter understand she’s a treasure. Again, that’s MyTrueGirl.com. 

True Girl is produced in partnership with Revive Our Hearts, calling women of all ages to understand their value in Christ. 

*Offers available only during the broadcast of the podcast season.