LORD, WHY A PEARL?
As a jeweler by trade I'm always interested in the gemstones listed in the scriptures. As I was meditating on Matt 13 and the parable of the pearl of great price I began to think of our Lord. Why did He come to claim a pearl? Why not a diamond?
Matt 13:45-46 45 "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 "who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. (NKJ)
In the parable of the merchant, we see that he sold all he had and bought the single pearl. It speaks to us of the tremendous price the Lord paid for our redemption. The God of glory, the King of Kings & Lord of Lords left the splendor of Heaven to claim a pearl, and gained the pearl through paying the price that was far more than any here could pay.
You can see as a jeweler I would question the choice the Lord made choosing to leave the Father's side for a pearl instead of what we would think of having much greater significance, the girl's best friend, the much coveted diamond. You may know that the diamond is graded in value according to the 4 C's, Cut, Color, Clarity & Carat-weight . The answer to my pondering was right there! The diamond receives a substantial portion of it's value from the way a person cuts it. The work of man's hand! The only natural gemstone that has more value when it is found than when men finish with it is the PEARL. Men Can add nothing to the work of Salvation!
Eph 2:8-9 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
The pearl is formed when a foreign object somehow makes it's way inside the oyster, and instead of ejecting the object out, the object is covered by the oyster with layer upon layer of a substance secreted from it's own body. The object that came into the life of the oyster, instead of being cast out is made to be at home within the oyster. "We are accepted IN the beloved!" God had every right to cast us out because of sin, instead he Himself covers our sin and brings us into His body. Which is the Church of the Living God.
Think about other details of the pearl. The longer the pearl stays in the oyster the more valuable it gets. Isn't that just the character of our God? When He found us we were nothing more than an irritation, but by God's grace, we can be of some value to His Kingdom! God is using our time now to conform us into the image of His dear Son. The pearl is formed in a Living Object! No dead rock is the pearl, it comes from life. The very life of the oyster is given to the pearl. What a blessed God is our God. In Him is Life!! Our God has communicated with us in pictures so we comprehend the richness of His Love. Think of the mind of such a One, wanting to share His life, and giving this analogy so we might see Him in all the details!
The true value of the pearl is not seen from the outside. To the world around it the pearl is just another barnacle covered nasty shell. Oh, friends the Lord looks upon the heart. Only the Lord Himself sees us as complete in Him. If the world knew what we will look like when our Bridegroom comes to collect us, they would surely want to come!
To see the true beauty of the pearl the oyster must die. The oyster is ripped open with a knife in the side, before the true treasure is revealed. The death that Christ died He died for us that all who trust Him should live. The perfection's of the Word of God is a treasure far beyond any thing brought forth from man's handiwork! Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift. WE SHOULD STUDY IT MORE
You can reach me by e-mail at: Henry@byLair.com