Some precious gens are well known and others are more like hidden treasures. One of my favourites, the opal, is often overlooked.
An opal is made out of desert dust, sand and silica and its beauty comes not from its perfection, but because of defects. It is a stone with a broken heart. An opal is full of minute fissures, or cracks, that allow air inside. This air then refracts the light, creating swirls of colour.
An opal will lose its luster if it is kept in a cold, dark place, but that luster is restored when it is held in a warm hand or when the light shines on it.
By comparing the opal to myself I see that when I am warmed by God’s love I reflect His colour and brilliance. When I am broken inside myself, through my defects, I can give back the lovely hues of His light to others. Only then can the lamp can burn brightly within me and not flicker or go out.
Still, there are times when I lose the luster in my life and wonder how to restore it. What can I do when I need to bring back the shine?
I can pause early in the day to seek God’s guidance. Counting my blessings also helps me see that I am held in His loving hands.
This attitude of gratitude rids my life of the film of frustration, the rust of resentment and the varnish of vanity.
Without God’s touch our lives, there is no sparkle. When we allow Him to work within us, His warmth and light restores our luster. In His hands, we become precious gems that beautify His kingdom.