I don't remember that . . .

I don’t remember that . . .

 

 Monday I had lunch with my friend Lisa. We hadn’t seen or visited with each other for a few weeks and it was great to see her and visit with her. She definitely has a lot going on. She is active in her husband’s church and has a ministry to South East Asians that is blossoming. She is such a joy and encouragement to me.

When we met, she shared that her husband a bi-vocational pastor has resigned his second job. Not the pastoring position, but the “other” job. The one that provided the health insurance for their family. She is smiling as she tells me this. I am amazed! In this day and age, why would someone willingly give up health insurance! It is crazy! Yet she is convinced they are doing exactly what God has told them to do. She goes on to tell me, that she owes her peace of mind to me.

Now I’m totally blown away!

She tells the story, and gets to the line that she supposedly heard from me, “Let go of the fake pearls.” I obviously didn’t realize that was the sentence I had shared with her. She relates the tale of me going to some conference with the youth from my church and that when I came back, I told her the story of the fake pearls.

The Pearl Necklace

The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.

"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please!"

Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face.

"A dollar ninety-five. That's almost $2.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get another crisp dollar bill from Grandma."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 17 pennies. After dinner, she did more than her share of chores and she went to the neighbor and asked Mrs. McJames if she could pick dandelions for ten cents.

On her birthday, Grandma did give her another new dollar bill and at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.

Jenny loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere--Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?"

"Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess--the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."

"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.

About a week later, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?"

"Daddy, you know I love you."

"Then give me your pearls."

"Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.

A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed Indian-style. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek.

"What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.

What are you hanging on to?

I’m sure that I was indeed moved by this story that was shared at the conference. However I had totally forgotten about the story. Here, God had given her the story to encourage her in these tough days ahead.

What’s the point? Nothing is wasted. I was in a place where I heard the story. It moved me. I shared the story with Lisa. She filed it somewhere. I forgot about it. God reminded her of the story at a time she needed it most. God wastes nothing. He places people in our lives and uses them to encourage us as we follow him.

The conference I attended was in 2011. I remember 2 distinct moments during that week, neither of which is the story I related above. God sent me there for me and my friends. I am grateful he used me.