On the Lighter Side

    “And Jesus said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:50

  I bought an inexpensive piece of costume jewelry in Florida. It came with a carefully preserved oyster and the guarantee of finding at least one pearl within. The silver pendants (I chose a unicorn) were designed with a basket to display the pearl. The various pearl colours were supposed to grant wisdom, health and a bunch of other things I forget. But, it’s a pearl, not some sort of supernatural agent. Those abilities belong to God. 

  But as a metaphor…

  I was drawn to this for another reason. A pearl, a thing of shimmering beauty, is made by an oyster when a bit of stone or sand finds its way into the shell. The oyster coats the irritating bit of grit with layer upon layer of calcium carbonate. It hardens into a pearl, a treasure of the sea, which has been sought after for millennia.

  Then someone got smart. Not all wild oysters contain pearls. By intentionally placing a grain of sand or two or three into a live oyster shell then waiting for it to do its thing, a pearl harvest is guaranteed. I think the only things that can’t be controlled is what colour or shape the pearl will be.

  By intentionally laying the things that grieve me, that have hurt me, and where I have sinned at the foot of the Cross, Jesus has made pearls out of them. He has redeemed them all and continues to wrap layer upon layer of healing around them.

  And I am ever grateful that He has answered my prayers so quickly. I am grateful He has shown me the way of peace.

  Now, I don’t know if pearl farmers force the oyster open to install the sand. I have a feeling it would kill it by tearing the tender, inner flesh apart. Maybe they wait for the oyster to open on its own: the Jesus’ way. (Smile.)

  Pearl moments: answered prayers.

  Yah…corny…but I love corny. And that’s okay.

  As for the unicorn, initially I chose it because it’s a mythological, beautiful beast that makes me smile; because it never hurts to embrace the whimsical, the playful, every now and then.

  Now, I see it differently. Never in a million years did I ever think having a relationship/friendship with men could be possible…a mythical, imaginary state of being that has ended up being very real.

  And I am okay with that, too.