Collect God’s Pearls

Each day I read one of James Taylor’s Everyday Psalms – Interpretations of the Biblical Psalms written in the language and images of today. Sometimes, the whole Psalm speaks to my heart, sometimes just one word. Today, two lines stood out for me. God, “You will sort through the rubble of discord for tiny pearls of harmony.”

God sorts through our rubble for the tiny pearls. I thought about this in terms of our relationships and communication with others. Far too often, we produce rubble, even though not intentionally. We argue, we demand, we ignore and more. Yet, we still produce pearls as well. I believe that God collects those pearls and celebrates.

Here is a simple example. Tom’s daughter, like many parents of young children, has had an extremely busy and difficult time during Covid. Everyday living has sometimes been overwhelming. Working from home in a small apartment, sometimes with daycare and school happening, sometimes not, has presented challenges that were never part of my world when I was parenting. Amid all that chaos, Bonnie has made sure to SKYPE us, often, often, often. Her efforts have been wonderful. Since we’ve been isolated from her and our grandchildren, she has grabbed every possible moment to keep us connected. I’m sure she has done the same with her mom, her brother, and with Boris’ family, too. In the rubble caused by Covid, Tom and I have enjoyed our grandchildren’s laughter and sometimes tears, crafts done with Mom, finished and proudly held up to the camera, and more and more and more. The list is endless. Bonnie’s continual effort at keeping contact has been one of God’s pearls in the rubble of Covid 19. We are truly grateful.

Yes, God collects pearls, and so can we. We can open our hearts to notice the small word of encouragement, the smile, the little things that come our way. Sometimes it’s a human interest story at the end of the news, or the wag of a dog’s tail. Sometimes it’s a rabbit that scampers across our yard. Occasionally, a person who has disappointed us many times comes through when we need him or her. If our hearts are open, we will see the pearls that are there.

Gather the pearls. Give thanks to God. Watch your sparkling precious necklace grow. Know that even in this pandemic, you are truly blessed.