Diamonds in the Rough

Diamonds are formed by a combination of intense heat and pressure.

Along with its rarity, a diamond’s cut, when made by an expert cutter, increases its value tremendously.

Before the expert makes his first cut, he will study the diamond, look inside it, and determine exactly where he will make his cuts.

In essence, what he is doing is determining what part of the diamond will stay and what parts will not.

After the cuts are made the facets of the stone that remain are polished and the diamond’s true inner value can finally be seen.

Something remarkably similar takes place in people.

While we can easily underestimate the value of a person, God sees the true value hidden within.

When God sent Samuel to anoint a son of Jesse as king, Samuel noticed Eliab and was certain that God would choose him.

But God did not choose Eliab.

God reminded Samuel, “People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart,”

God sees the internal beauty then transforms lives.

He expertly chips away any excesses that interfere with the relationship between Himself and the believer.

He does away with self-destructive behaviors.

He removes bad habits.

He discards old prejudices.

As the excesses are removed, God polishes the believer.

The life of the believer is thus transformed into something completely unrecognizable from what it was before.

Scripture reminds us that nothing is impossible for God.

We must therefore never, under any circumstances, say that someone is beyond hope,

To do so discourages them.

Not only that, it also attempts to place limits on God who has none.

Isaiah 64:8 (NET) – Yet, LORD, You are our Father. We are the clay and You are the potter; we are all the product of Your labor.

It is important to remember that all believers were at one time diamonds in the rough.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, February 6, 2015.

I’ll be back here on Friday, February 13, 2014

Listening Versus Hearing

The account of Samuel in the third chapter of 1 Samuel is one I always love to revisit.

In this chapter, the Lord calls out to the young Samuel.

Samuel hears the call but mistakes it for that of his master Eli.

Samuel runs to Eli and says, “Here I am, for you called me.”

Eli tells Samuel that he did not call him and then tells him to go back and lie down.

Eli does.

A second time, the Lord calls out to Samuel.

Samuel returns to Eli and says, “Here I am, for you called me.”

Again, Eli tells Samuel that he did not call him and instructs him to go back and lie down.

Again, Samuel does as he is told,

A third time the Lord calls out to Samuel.

Samuel gets up a third time and goes to Eli and exclaims, “Here I am for you called me!”

I find it interesting that scripture includes an exclamation point at the end of Samuel’s third statement to Eli.

Apparently, Samuel was quite emphatic about his belief that Eli had called him and he obviously wanted to make his feelings known.

At this, Eli realizes that Someone has indeed been calling Samuel and that Someone was none other than the Lord Himself.

Eli tells Samuel to go back and lie down again.

He adds that the next time Samuel hears the call he should say, “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”

Samuel returned as he was told.

Then, something remarkable happened.

1 Samuel 3:10 (NET) – Then the LORD came and stood nearby, calling as He had previously done, “Samuel! Samuel!” Samuel replied, “Speak, for your servant is listening!”

The Lord then revealed to Samuel what He intended to do.

The Lord called out to Samuel in an audible voice three times and each time Samuel mistook the call for someone else.

The young Samuel heard, but was he really listening?

The Lord still communicates to us but often in more subtle ways.

So subtle, in fact, that we may easily mistake the call ourselves.

Eli told Samuel to reply, “Speak, for your servant is listening,”

Perhaps the best place for us to begin is to put aside the things which distract us.

Then we can truly listen.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, January 16, 2014.

I’ll be back here on Friday, January 23, 2014