Gold, Not Dirt

Your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold (1 Peter 1:7, NLT).

The story is told about Andrew Carnegie, who at one time was the wealthiest man in America.

Carnegie came to America from his native Scotland when he was a kid, did a variety of odd jobs, and eventually ended up as the largest steel maker in the US. At one time it's said that he had 43 millionaires working for him! In those days a millionaire was an extremely rare person, because $1 million in his day would be equivalent to a lot more than that today, maybe even $100 million or more.

A reporter once asked Carnegie how he had hired 43 millionaires. Carnegie responded that those men had not been millionaires when they started working for him, but became millionaires after he had hired them.

The reporter's next question was, "How did you develop these men to become so valuable to you that you have paid them this much money?"

Carnegie replied that men are developed the same way gold is mined. When gold is mined, several tons of dirt must be moved to get an ounce of gold; but one doesn't go into the mine looking for dirt. One goes in looking for gold.

Isn't that the way our Lord looks at us? "He knows we're only dust (dirt)" (Psalm 103:14, NLT), but He sees more than that in us. He looks beyond the dirt and sees what's actually greater than gold -- that which He's refining by the tests of faith that come to us in this world. He's preparing us for eternity.

"These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold -- and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold" (1 Peter 1:7, NLT).

He says we're even more precious to Him than gold! Actually, gold is a common item in heaven, so common it is used as street pavement! (Revelation 21:21).

Thank God that when He looks at us with His eternal eyesight through the blood-stained glasses, stained by the blood of Jesus, He doesn't see our dirt, he sees something more valuable than gold.

Our wonderful Lord is worthy of all praise, and honor, and glory.

Thanking God that He loves us no matter what
Pastor Mike







*Dieting Buddies*

Mary announced that she was going to start a diet to lose some pounds she had put on recently.

"Great," Sue exclaimed. "I'm ready to start a diet too. We can be dieting buddies and help each other out. And when I feel the urge to drive out and get a burger and fries, I'll call you first."

"Wonderful," Mary replied. "I'll go with you."