"The rarest things in the world, next to the spirit of discernment, are diamonds and pearls."
Jean de la Bruvere
Have you ever considered how much work it takes a muscle, or an oyster, to make a pearl? Someone at The Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois wrote a beautiful example of how a pearl is really made. If you ever have a chance to go to The Field Museum, please go, it is an absolutely awesome place. I have been there only twice; but I could spend days, upon days there. You can't imagine how many awesome facts and interesting stories their collections provide!
A mollusk, (commonly referred to as a shell) are known as Bivalves which means they are filter feeders. A mollusk opens it's shell just enough to siphon in water over it's gills. In this process they take in oxygen to breathe and food particles, such as plankton, for energy and growth.
Sometimes an irritating particle becomes lodged in the muscle's tissue. If that irritating piece of food or sand isn't flushed out it becomes wedged between the mollusks shell and fleshy tissue. Ironically, as it breaks through the muscle tissue to the shell layer it makes a hole in that muscle tissue. The natural thing for that Mollusks body to do is to fill in the hole, which it does. Because there's still something foreign there it just keeps layering minerals and proteins on that irritant. Eventually there is a pearl inside that shell from all that festering. Isn't ironic something beautiful can come from a problem?
Just for a minute I want you to think about the trials and illnesses in our lives, for example cancer. Foreign pathogens are constantly passing through our bodies. Most of the time our bodies can get rid of them. But some pathogens find a weak area where they can attach,grow and even multiply. Over time, or left on treated those foreign pathogens kill us. The truth is all living things on this planet eventually die. Regardless of the trials any life presents give God the glory and make the most of the time you're given.
Can't we like the mollusk fester beauty in suffering? With God's grace we can. We will either find beauty or disaster, it is your choice.
"Those that cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs.
But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
Salvation comes from the Lord."
And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah to dry land."
Jonah 2:8-10 (NIV)
"But just as you excel in everything- in faith, in speech,in knowledge,in complete earnestness and in your love for us-see to it that you also excel in this grace of giving." 2ND Corinthians 8:7 (NIV)
Sometimes giving of ourselves is harder than giving money or things. Whatever God asks you to give do it with happiness for the Lord. Life is about Him not us.
"Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." 2ND Corinthians 12:8 & 9 (NIV)
Child of God- you have everything you will ever need, not in yourself, but in Him. :)
Now go shine like the Son.
