The Pinecone
|
February 2014
• 9 •
f r om Don J oh n s on , K i r b y P i n e s Chap l a i n
Chaplain’s COrner
Februar y
Vesper Serv ices
A More Precious Gift
February 6th
Rev. Dr. Herbert Hand
Faith Anglican Church
February 13th
Rev. Gerry Peak
Minister to Seniors
2
nd Presbyterian Church
February 20th
Rev. Dr. Joe Piercey
United Methodist Minister
February 27th
Rev. John Bomar
Baptist Minister
item to look after (even a valuable
one) is a blessing. Sharing is a
virtue no matter what others may
think.
The singer B. J. Thomas
captured this in one of his songs.
His words are so descriptive.
“
Let’s stop loving things and using
people…let’s reverse it and begin
loving people and using things.”
The action of the woman in our
story at first led the man to excitement
at now having a precious, valuable stone.
What could he sell it for? How much
would he get in exchange? How different
would his life then be?
But as the man reflected on the gift and
the woman who gave it he concluded there
was something more precious than jewelry.
He was gripped by the woman’s character
and unselfishness to, without question, give
her newly found precious stone to a man
she hardly knew. He believed whatever
quality possessed by the woman to enable
her to take this action was far greater than
the gift he had received.
Here are some intriguing thoughts on
the inward qualities for which the hungry
man may have been looking.
“
Then I will give them a heart to know
Me, that I am the Lord, and they shall be
My people, and I will be their God, for
they shall return to Me with their whole
heart.” (Jeremiah 24:7)
“
Do not let your beauty be that outward
adorning of arranging the hair, of wearing
gold or putting on fine apparel; but let it
be the hidden person of the heart, with
the incorruptible ornament of a gentle and
quiet spirit, which is very precious in the
sight of God.” (I Peter 3:3-4)
“
That the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that
perishes, though it be tested by fire, may
be found to praise, honor, and glory at the
A
Awoman was traveling in the mountains
and found a precious stone lying in the
middle of the road. The next day she met
another traveler. He was hungry, and the
women opened her bag to share her food.
But the hungry traveler saw the precious
stone and asked the woman to give it to
him. She did without hesitation, and the
traveler left excited by his good fortune.
But a few days later, he came back to the
woman to return the stone.
“
I’ve been thinking,” he said. “I know
how valuable the stone is, but I return it in
the hope that you can give me something
even more precious. Give me what you
have within you that enabled you to give
me the stone.”
What a telling story! Often we, like
the woman, unexpectedly find something
valuable. We don’t know how it happens,
or who may have lost a precious item, but
we are the “lucky” one finding and claiming
it. Unlike the woman, many of us hold on
to our “things” tightly. No matter where
it comes from it is ours and nothing or no
one can take it away. But there are others
of us who do not hold things so tightly. We
have so much in comparison with so many
others throughout the world. One less
revelation of Jesus Christ.” (I Peter 1:7)
“
Love suffers long and is kind; love
does not envy; love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up; does not behave rudely,
does not seek its own, is not provoked,
thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity,
but rejoices in the truth; bears all things,
believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. Love never fails.” (I
Corinthians 13: 4-8)
What do others see in you? And me?
Do they find inner qualities that capture
their thoughts and imaginations? Is there
evidence that we are different?
It may be true that we only really keep
what we genuinely give away.
Many around us are hungry. They will
never be satisfied with “things,” whether
precious or not. Will they come to us to
find what really counts? It could all begin
today!
Till next time, Rev. Don Johnson, Kirby
Pines Chaplain
