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3/03/2014

The Story Of the Pearls



Once there was a little girl. She was 4, and she was the cutest little girl. She was always helpful and polite and did what her mother asked her to do. One day this little girl was at the store with her mommy, when she saw the most beautiful costume pearls. Her little heart had never desired for something so badly! She grabbed the plastic package and ran to her mother exclaiming “Please, please, please can I get these pearls? They are beautiful and I love them!” After considering this for a moment, the little girl’s mother knelt down, took the boxed pearls, and said “You have a few dollars you have earned from doing chores, I think these pearls are a good choice”. So her mother bought the pearls and the little girl was overjoyed.
She wore her pearls constantly, she would wear bracelets and shoes just to match her pearls. She ate, played, and slept with her pearls, the only time she ever took them off was to take a bath. When she took her pearls off for bath time she had a special jewelry box where she gently laid them, and as soon as she was dry she would run to her jewelry box and put them right back on. She loved when people complimented her pearls and said she looked pretty. These were her pride and joy.
One night the little girl’s wonderful daddy came in to read her a story and tuck her in. After he read her favorite book to her, he looked at her very seriously and asked,
“Sweetheart do you love me?” The little girl replied, “Yes daddy of course, you are the best daddy in the world!” He then said, “Well can I ask you to do something for me?” and the little girl replied “anything daddy!”
“Then please give me your pearls.” The little girl’s face fell, immediately distraught. “No daddy please! Anything but my pearls! You can have my favorite teddy bear, or all the money in my piggy bank!” But her daddy said, “all I want is your pearls”. He kissed her goodnight and left her to a fitful sleep.
The next night the little girl’s daddy came in, read her a different story, asked if she loved him, and fearful of his request, she immediately answered “Yes! You can have all my books, and all my toys!” But her daddy said “All I asked for is your pearls.” He kissed her goodnight, and left her to another uneasy sleep.
The following night the little girl’s daddy walked up the stairs to read his little girl a story and tuck her into bed. When he opened her door he found her sitting on the floor, with big tears streaming down her face, her beloved pearls clutched in her hands. When she saw him come in she stood up, still sobbing, held her pearls up to her daddy and said “I love you daddy, take my pearls.”
With tears in his own eyes, the little girl’s daddy took the pearls and put them in his pocket. Then, out of his other pocket he pulled out a beautiful black velvet box. He opened it and inside the little girl found the most perfect real pearls, so much more beautiful and shiny than her old pearls.
“I love you my little girl”.

Sometimes God asks us to do things we don't understand, but if we love Him, we will stretch forth our pearls, even with tears streaming down our cheeks, and our reward will be so much greater.