The Sparkle
With her blonde pigtails bobbing on the top of her head, the little pre-school girl ran over to me with a smile on her face.
"I have something for you," she said as she held out her tightly closed hand. As she slowly uncurled her fingers, she revealed a tiny blue jewel in her palm.
"Thank you so much, Carly!" I said enthusiastically as I delicately pinched the tiny treasure out of her hand with my two fingers. As small as the head of a needle, this little gift was something like a tiny craft sequin. She called it "a sparkle." After making sure that the sparkle was secure in my pocket, we walked hand-in-hand to play on the playground together.
Yesterday afternoon, I was blessed to be able to play with and love on children like this little girl at a local elementary school. I was proud to join with over two thousand other Harding students to participate in a service day where small groups scattered across the community to serve in the name of Christ. I volunteered my day to serve others, yet I was the one that walked away with a treasure, a tiny sparkle.
Matthew 13:45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
I was taught that the pearl in this verse is Jesus and that I should give up everything to follow Him. This is definitely true, but I also believe there is another angle to the parable. In a way, we are the pearls. Jesus is the treasure-hunter who gave up everything, even his life, so that we could belong to Him.
When I looked at Carly, my little friend from the elementary school, I saw a sparkle. She is a little treasure in the eyes of her Maker. Though small, she is precious, just like you and me. We are a treasure, a pearl, that He values and adores so much that He gave up everything to gain our love.
The little blue sparkle sits on top of my desk to remind me of the lesson I learned from serving Carly yesterday. You and I are treasures. We are sparkles in the hand of our king and lord. Though small, we are beautiful and valuable in His eyes.
"I have something for you," she said as she held out her tightly closed hand. As she slowly uncurled her fingers, she revealed a tiny blue jewel in her palm.
"Thank you so much, Carly!" I said enthusiastically as I delicately pinched the tiny treasure out of her hand with my two fingers. As small as the head of a needle, this little gift was something like a tiny craft sequin. She called it "a sparkle." After making sure that the sparkle was secure in my pocket, we walked hand-in-hand to play on the playground together.
Yesterday afternoon, I was blessed to be able to play with and love on children like this little girl at a local elementary school. I was proud to join with over two thousand other Harding students to participate in a service day where small groups scattered across the community to serve in the name of Christ. I volunteered my day to serve others, yet I was the one that walked away with a treasure, a tiny sparkle.
Matthew 13:45
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.
I was taught that the pearl in this verse is Jesus and that I should give up everything to follow Him. This is definitely true, but I also believe there is another angle to the parable. In a way, we are the pearls. Jesus is the treasure-hunter who gave up everything, even his life, so that we could belong to Him.
When I looked at Carly, my little friend from the elementary school, I saw a sparkle. She is a little treasure in the eyes of her Maker. Though small, she is precious, just like you and me. We are a treasure, a pearl, that He values and adores so much that He gave up everything to gain our love.
The little blue sparkle sits on top of my desk to remind me of the lesson I learned from serving Carly yesterday. You and I are treasures. We are sparkles in the hand of our king and lord. Though small, we are beautiful and valuable in His eyes.
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