I still remember the day. It was about a week before Christmas 1995, and I was in the market for a piece of jewelry. As I walked into the store, I probably looked like I was getting ready to rob it. The winter weather forced me into a heavy coat, hat, and scarf. The events of the day made my heart rest squarely in my throat causing me to sweat profusely and my voice cracked when I spoke. To be sure, the reason for my visit did lead me to be a bit jumpy, but my visit was not to commit a felony. I was going to Derryberry’s Jewelers to purchase an engagement ring.
As I walked up to the counter, my head was on a swivel, looking in all corners of this local jeweler to make sure my girlfriend (or any of her friends) were not browsing for bracelets. Seeing that the coast was clear, my heart slowed down a bit as I began talking to the jeweler about what I was looking for. The jeweler reached behind the counter and pulled out this beautiful black velvet cloth. The cloth would serve as the canvas on which each ring would be displayed. One by one rings were placed on that canvas and each were beautiful and majestic. After some time of examination, I selected the ring I thought best looked “like Kimberly,” laid my money down and walked out of the store, with a new treasure in my pocket.
When I got home, I showed it to my family. When I got it out of the box, it still looked beautiful, but I wished it still had the black cloth beneath it to bring out its brilliance. Laying on the contrast of the velvet cloth, this treasure shown the brightest.
This Sunday at Wildwood, we will be continuing our series entitled, “Don’t Forget to Fish.” This week, we will be looking at 2 Corinthians 4:7-18. In these verses, I believe God shows us that His glory best shines against the velvet cloths of our lives. If you have time, take a moment to read these verses before you come Sunday, and see if you can tell where I am going with all this. Then Sunday morning, join us at 10:40 at Wildwood for part 4 of our series!