The Pearls
A 5 year old little girl named Jenny was with her mother at the checkout stand, when she saw a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Quickly her 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. "They cost one dollar and ninety-five cents. That's almost $2.00. I don't think you have that much money, but 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.."
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. James if she could pick dandelions for ten cents. She continued working for the neighbors until 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. They became her special prize.
Each night, Jenny’s father read her a bedtime story before she went to sleep. One night when he finished reading 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 toy horse, with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite."
"That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night.".
About a week later, after 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 new baby doll. She is so beautiful and you can even have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper."
"No, that's okay. YHWH bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he kissed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting in her room. Her was trembling and tears 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. When she opened her hand, she held her little toy necklace. With a little quiver, she softly said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the cheap dime-store necklace from his sad daughter. With the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls that he gave to Jenny. He had, had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the cheap dime-store imitation necklace so he could give her genuine treasure.
This is so much like our heavenly Father. Waiting for us to give up a cheap, tawdry imitation so HE can replace it with a genuine gem.
What are you hanging on to that is preventing YHWH from giving you something better?