TRUE PEARLS

"For it is in giving that we receive." - Francis of Assisi

True Pearls

Jenny, a five-year-old girl went to the grocery store with her mother when she saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $2.50. How she wanted that necklace. "Well, it's a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make up a list of chore that you can do to pay for the necklace. And don’t forget that for your birthday Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill, too. Okay?” They agreed and she got the pearl necklace. Jenny worked on her chores daily, and sure enough, her grandma gave her a dollar bill for her birthday. Soon Jenny had paid off her debt. Jenny loved those pearls. She wore them everywhere - to school, bed, everywhere. The only time she didn’t wear them was in the shower.

One night when her father finished reading her a story, he said, "Jenny, do you love me?"
"Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you," she replied.
"Well, then, give me your pearls."
"Oh! Daddy, not my pearls!" Jenny pleaded. "But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll. And you can have her tea party outfit, too. Okay?"
"Oh no, darling, that’s okay." Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. "Good night, little one." A week later, her father once again asked Jenny after her story, but she refused. Several days later, he came in to read Jenny a story. She was sitting on her bed "Here,
Daddy," she said, and held out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father’s hand. With one hand her father held the plastic pearls and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box were real, genuine, beautiful pearls. He had them all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap stuff so he could give her the real thing.

Sometimes in life we find it difficult to release our cheap attitudes, idiosyncrasies, attitudes, and fears holding us down. God wants to us to grow but, not with our cheap attitudes.

What are those "things" or plastic pearls you've been holding on to, that is preventing you from receiving true pearls from God? It's time to let go of that anger, un-forgiveness, fornication, malice, lying and everything that weighs you down and so easily besets. God will not take without giving you something more valuable. He wants you to give up the fake things, for the real ones he has in store. Will you let go today?