The Real Thing...

(a parable, as told to me by a beautiful woman of God)

"Once there was a little girl. Her most prized possession was a string of plastic pearls that her mother had given to her. She wore them everywhere; during mealtimes, playtime, naptime and nighttime. She even wore them when she took a bath.

Every night, after supper and a bath, she would snuggle under a blanket with her Father before he tucked her into bed. He would read her a story and they would talk. One night, before he tucked her in, he said "Give me your pearls."

"NO!" the little girl vehemently replied, and clung possessively to her pearls.

Again, the next night, they snuggled and read stories and talked. "Give me your pearls," her father gently commanded.

"NO!" she emphatically replied, clutching her pearls protectively.

All the next day, she pondered her father's request. Her heart stirred within her, feeling drawn to give her father the pearls he asked for. He had always been kind to her and had not been harsh and demanding. Surely he had a good plan by asking for the pearls.

That evening, after a delicious supper and her bath, she ran to the living room, eager to spend time with her father. His welcoming arms opened wide as she ran to his chair by the fireside. They sat together in peaceful companionship as he read to her and they talked of the day. And all the while, her heart was soft within her and she willed that she would give him the pearls if he asked her for them again.

Sure enough. As he closed the Bible and laid it reverently on the hearth, he looked lovingly down at the daughter in his arms. Kindness shone from his eyes as he held out his strong, work worn hand and gently asked his daughter, "Please give me your pearls."

Tears dripped from her eyelids. The pearls had been a part of her for as long as she could remember. Her mother had died and gone to be with Jesus years ago and the pearls served as a reminder of what she had lost. But she loved her father and trusted him. She wanted to please him in all things.

Slowly, with a breaking but trusting heart, she removed the string of pearls from around her neck. With quivering lips and trembling hands, she handed the pearls to her beloved father.

"Daddy," she said brokenly. "I want you to have these. I don't understand why you asked me for them but I know you love me and want to give me what is best for me. Take them and do with them what you want."

"Thank you, daughter," her Father said, his eyes bright with unshed tears. "I have something better for you, dear," He said with love. And flinging her plastic pearls into the fire, he handed her a beautiful velvety red box.

Her breath caught in her throat and she could scarcely breathe as she beheld the most beautiful thing she had seen in all of her life. As she opened the box, she gasped to see a string of real pearls shining by the light of the fire. No more plastic pearls would be hers. She had traded them for something more gorgeous and more beautiful than she had ever seen!

"Oh Father," she cried, flinging her arms around his neck. "Thank you! I am so very glad that I gave those pearls to you. You DID know what you were doing. You DID know a secret that I couldn't know until I gave you what you asked for. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you! I will treasure these pearls always and I will be reminded that you are my father who truly does know me and what is best for me."

That night, as she lay in  her bed, she thought about how close she had come to being stuck with counterfeit pearls the rest of her life. She thought about how close she had come to not being able to have perfect fellowship with her Father and to having missed the real treasure that he wanted to give her. And her heart was so very thankful that she had yielded her will to his and gave up her most treasured (but worthless) possession to receive the priceless treasure that He had given to her.

The End

 

"Truly, truly,

 I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep,

 but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber;

But he who enters by the door is a shepherd of the sheep

To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice,

and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

So Jesus said to them...

"Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.

All who came before Me are thieves and robbers,

 but the sheep did not hear them

I am the door;

if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved,

and will go in and out and find pasture

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;

I came that they may have life, and  have it abundantly."

parts of John 10

 

 

What about you, dear friend?

I plead with you not to settle for a counterfeit.

Don't hang onto and make your identity in unforgiveness, bitterness, and hurt.

Give it all up to Him who already knows these things and walk in the

total freedom He has for you.

He wants you to have your identity in Him.

Don't settle for a counterfeit.

Walk in His simplicity and total truth.

He truly is the Way.

He has riches untold for you.

If only you will give your plastic pearls to Him.