The Silversmith

Do you see challenges as opportunities for growth or do you let them overwhelm you with stress and anxiety. These are perspectives that directly reflect on a persons physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health.

This morning in chapel, Coach Glenn gave a great story based in Malachi chapter 3 about a silversmith. Verses 2 and 3 state, "But who can endure the day of His coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver."

Coach told the story of a lady that was at a Bible study who said that she was going to go watch a silversmith, just to see what all of this talk was about. She went and observed the silversmith putting the metal over the fire. She asked him, "Why do you put it over the fire?". He replied, "So that all of the impurities melt off of it and it can become pure". She said, "That's interesting, but how do you know when it is done?" He stated, "I know that it is ready when I can see my reflection in the metal.

What a great metaphor for our relationship with God. He puts challenges and tests in front of us to help us grow and eliminate childish impurities. He continues to mold and shape us with these challenges until the worldly impurities are releases and he can see himself in us. We were made in the image of God and that's how he wants to see us right now.

My prayer is that I see these not as situations that tear at me, but as opportunities to reflect my God on earth! Thanks God! Thanks Malachi! Thanks Coach!