The cheerful girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw them: a circle of glistening white pearls in a pink foil box.
"Oh please, Mommy. Can I have them? Please, Mommy, please?" Quickly the mother checked the back of the little foil box and then looked back into the pleading blue eyes of her little girl's upturned face. “300/- rupees. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra responsibilities for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself. Your birthday's only a week away and you might get more money from Grandma."
As soon as girl got home, she emptied her penny bank and counted out 70 rupees. After dinner, she did more than her share of responsibilities.
On her birthday, Grandma did give her 100 rupees. And at last she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Girl loved her pearls. They made her feel dressed up and grown up. She wore them everywhere – functions, nursery school, even to bed. The only time she took them off was when she went swimming or had a bath. Mother said if they got wet, they might turn her neck green.
Girl had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked her, "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 Princess - the white horse from my collection. The one with the pink tail. Remember, Daddy? The one you gave me. She's my favorite." "That's okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night." And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, her daddy 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. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful and you can have the yellow blanket that matches her sleeper." "That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you" And as always, he brushed her cheek with a gentle kiss.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, girl was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, dear? What's the matter?" she didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little shiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy. It's for you."
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Girl’s kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to her. He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her genuine treasure.
So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasure. Isn't God good?
Are you holding onto things which God wants you to let go of?
Are you holding on to harmful relationships, habits and activities which you have become so attached to that it seems impossible to let go?
Always remember…
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