Kendall the Fire

“We also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope and hope does not disappoint us…”  ~ Romans 5:3-4

They hung like little worlds strung together and they sparkled like twinkling stars. The creamy, off-white pearls certainly added to the lady’s appearance–adding both grace and glamor, yet the sphere-shaped orbs that now dangled from her ears had a long history. 

One day, deep in the oyster bed, the tidal currents swirled sand across the ocean bottom. By chance, a single grain of sand caught in the hinge of the bivalue mollusk. Every effort was made by the mother of pearl to free herself of the irritating particle, but to no avail… it stayed stuck. It annoyed her like a bunion. It ached like the heart of a lover who had just received a “Dear John” text message. Since the foreign matter could not be extracted, nature provided the next best remedy. Onto the grain of sand was poured a nacreous secretion, and then again, and then again–you get the picture. 

Many times did the sun circle the earth and the ocean waves buffeted the beaches before this oyster was plucked from its bed by a harvester. It took only a skillful turn of his knife to snap her shell apart and tumbling out came a pearl nearly as large as a marble. Immediately, the gem radiated tints of bright color and the iridescent beauty shouted its value. But, it is safe to say that the beauty could never have materialized apart from the irritation.

It seems that most of us try to evade irritations and pain. We avoid discomfort if possible. We cringe from a biting hurt. Yet, except for the mollusk’s pain, there would be no pearl. We attempt to free ourselves from situations which might just well produce in us the character and beauty in our spirit, in our attitudes and habits.

Jesus, on the other hand, endured the pain of that death-inducing device called the cross “for the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2). Is it possible that we are prone to withdrawing from the gem-making processes of life? Bitterness and sorrow, disillusionment and distress each in their own way have created more character in the lives of people than all the luxuries. May we be less inclined to bail out.