Friday, March 27, 2015

Recovery in the Bible (RIB)



THE REAL THING 

I once was told about a little girl who wanted to buy some pearls with her allowance. They were imitation pop-it beads, but she didn’t know that. She had seen them in the Five & Ten and she told her parents she wanted to save her allowance money to make the purchase.

They agreed, so once she had the money accumluated, her mother took her to the Five & Ten where the little girl bought the coveted strand of “pearls.” She loved them! They were fake, but not to her. Wearing them made her feel dressy and grown-up. She wore the “pearls” everywhere -- Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bubble bath. Her mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.  

The little girl also had a very loving father.  One day he said, "Sweetheart, 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 my toy horse."

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

About a week later, the little girl’s father 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."

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

A few days later, the little girl nervously walked up to her father and held out her strand of pop-it beads. "Here, Daddy. This is for you." At that, her father reached out with one hand to take the imitation pearl necklace, and with the other hand, he reached into his own pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls. “Then this is my gift to you, sweeheart,” he said, giving a strand of real pearls to his daughter.

He had been carrying them the whole time, but was waiting for her to give up the artificial pearls  so he could give her genuine treasure. He was unwilling to give the real thing to her until she was willing to give up the fake.

To me, this is  a picture of my relationship with God, Who does not want me settling for anything less. But I need to let go of the old pop-it beads that I’ve treasured since I was a child. Recovery is teaching me to seek God first, and so I do. Working the steps helps me recognize the “fake pearls” in my life and hand them over. That seems to be when God moves closer and gives me the real thing.

This is one of two paintings I ever did after my Granny gave me her paints, which was one of the most encouraging moments of my life. To me this is the what it looks like when you push through hard ground and finally find The Brightest and Best of the Sons of the Morning.

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