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.
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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