The Pearl
I confess, I love pearls, and a long time ago, I promised myself an old age of purple caftans and snowy pearls. đI also confess that, probably because jewelry was a rare luxury in my childhood, as an adult I became a bit of a jackdaw. My jewelry box, though not worth âa kingâs ransomâ, filled up over the years with the shiny and glittery ornaments I so admired on others as a child, never settling on one style for long.
However, since our Gold Anniversary(50th) a few years ago, I have slowly been giving away anything that is not gold or pearls. What is left of my collection is small but special, because most of the pieces are wrapped in a story of some kind. Sure, I know that these are only things that, in the greater scheme of things, have little to no value, but, because they are precious to me, I have been reflecting on who might attach significance to something I cherish. Why? It is pointless passing on something, only to have it discarded.
A long time ago, someone gave me a treasure, something holy and bright. I did not fully understand its worth at the time, and over the years that followed, I would sometimes allow a film of drab intellectual dust to dull its beauty. But just when I started to feel darkness press into my soul, the Holy Spirit extended a patient hand, polished off the grime and gave back to me the Pearl of Great Price â the Lord Jesus Himself.
âAgain, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.  When he discovered a pearl of great value, he sold everything he owned and bought it!âMatt. 13:45,46
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