Did you know that the Queen of England has a crown containing 2,783 diamonds, 277 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies? What a lot of jewels! But in our story now you will hear about some jewels even more lovely than these.
The story does not begin with jewels. No, it begins with our friend, Anthony, walking all alone to the gates of the city of Geneva. He felt shy and strange in the city. No one knew him nor cared that he was there, and he got short answers from everyone. Even the few friends that William Farel had made during his short stay in Geneva looked coldly at Anthony. They were insulted. Surely Farel could have sent an important preacher to this great city! Why, this Anthony was almost a boy. They would be ashamed to see what answers he would give to the great rulers and the clever priests.
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Anthony had every door closed in his face. No one wanted to listen to him. He went sadly back to his room, paid his bill, packed his small bundle and left the city.
So ended Anthony’s visit to Geneva, you will say. Not so. He suddenly stopped and remembered William Farel’s words, “I began as a schoolteacher.” Now it was clear to him. He had wanted to be somebody. He had wanted the people of Geneva to accept him and listen to his message. He had forgotten that God needed a nobody in Geneva.
Anthony went back and opened a little school. Soon children came, and after the lessons he read to them a little from the New Testament. It was not long before many heard of what was going on in the schoolroom, and others, including men and women, came to listen. God began to work in their hearts.
One day a lady named Paula, whose heart had been touched by the Word of God, invited her sister-in-law, Claudine, to the preaching. Claudine had no use for Bible meetings but was at last persuaded to go. She was afraid she would be “bewitched” by the preaching, so she fastened a number of crosses and other religious charms to her fine clothes and sat down to listen with a look of mockery. As Anthony told the story of the love of the Lord Jesus in dying for our sins and of His offer of salvation for everyone who comes to Christ, the look of mockery left Claudine’s face. She listened intently, and after everyone else left, she asked, “Is it true what you say?”
“Yes,” answered Anthony.
“Is that book really a New Testament?”
“Yes.”
“Will you lend it to me?”
Anthony gladly gave it to her, and she carefully hid it under her coat. Claudine went straight home and shut herself in her room with the book. She did not come out for three days and three nights. When she came out, Claudine announced to her shocked family, “The Lord has forgiven me and saved me. He has given me the living water.”
To Anthony she said, “How can I ever thank God enough that He has opened my blind eyes?”
One day not long after this, Claudine again shut herself up in her room. She took off her fine clothes and her jewels and dressed in a plain and modest dress. She sold her jewels and gave the money to the poor. She opened her home to those who followed Christ, and she spoke openly of her Saviour.
At first her friends were shocked and decided they would never again visit her. But when they saw her new joy, her holy life, her meekness and her gentleness, they became uneasy. Could it be that she really had changed for the better? At last they came back to visit, and Claudine spoke lovingly to them of the Saviour. Many of these ladies also came to know the Lord Jesus. Claudine had sold her fine jewels, but she had received gems of love, joy and peace that were far more beautiful and would last forever. “Who can find a virtuous woman? for her price is far above rubies” (Proverbs 31:10).
Are there any jewels of this kind in your home?