Precious Jewels

I’m not a geologist. Let’s just set that straight now, but I do watch the History channel. That should count for something, right?

My Hubby and I have been watching this gold mining reality TV show called Gold Rush Alaska. The program follows a handful of men from Oregon, uneducated in the world of mining, grasping to hold on to high hopes of striking it rich to save their homes and pay their mounting debts.

Mining is hard work! It is insane the level of labor these men have had to put out. The problems along the way that hinder their ability to reach that mother-lode deposit of precious metal… I’m simply astounded by it. (And to think one day we will accept this highly sought after ore as pavement.)

Whether mining for gold or precious gems, it isn’t as simple as digging a hole and seeing the shiny jewels glimmer in the sunlight. The process from the ground as raw precious stones to the jewelry store is far too big for me to wrap my brain around. (and I tried via google. See the smoke seeping out my ears?) It is ugly, dirty, demanding work.

I have a few pieces of fine jewelry, each item given as a gift, an expression of love, and each with stones that represent birth months or the purity of a wedding diamond. Today I look at my jewels and ponder the process from harvesting out of the earth, to eventually ending up in my possession, and I connect that with a new blogging venture with many of my writing companions. Our new blog is called Jewels of Encouragement.

I think about the people working in often times deplorable conditions, sorting, sifting, and constantly searching for the raw gems. How awesome it must feel when they find one, for where one is, there is always more. I’m sure it encourages them, despite their back breaking pain, to keep searching for the hidden jewels.

I’ve felt like those miners as I dig my way through life situations that don't seem to hold anything of value or worth for me.  But along the way, God has blessed me with people that have helped me unearth my hidden gems and lavished me with “spiritual jewelry”; the gifts and expressions of love in the form of encouragement.

Know what that makes me want to do? Keep digging. Where there is one who sees value and worth in this raw gem-stone, there is more. And together we form a vein of unearthed Jewels of Encouragement, seeking to discover other precious stones that need unearthed in their lives, in their process of being jewels for Jesus.

 

Life sometimes is dirty, messy work and we often experience deplorable conditions…but I’ll be a precious jewel for Jesus one day and stroll along the gold pavement, glimmering in the Son for a space of time called eternity…and the mining process will be oh so worth it.