A VERY finely dressed lady dropped her diamond ring one day as she stepped from her cab in the City of Washington. Down it fell into the gutter where it was speedily buried in the filth that flowed toward the sewer. She looked with dismay on that muddy stream and offered a policeman $5 to put his hand down into the gutter and try to find the ring.
At first he hesitated but finally agreed and, reaching down into the filth, he spent some time in groping about in the gutter. But he failed to find the lost jewel and at length he gave up the search. He told the lady that it had probably been washed along and gone down the sewer. She paid him the $5 and he went his way.
But the lady stood there still looking sadly down at the place where her lost gem had disappeared. She could not bear to give it up. She lingered and hesitated; but finally taking off her gloves, and pushing back her silk sleeves, she bared her arm for the task. Putting her fair arm down into the filth she searched patiently in every direction. Her perseverance was rewarded, for she found the precious ring and carried it away in triumph.
Now there are lost souls all around us, those for whom Christ died, who are 10,000 times more precious than that lady’s gem. But they are lost in the mire and filth of sin. Yet still they may be searched out and brought to Christ by earnest, persevering effort; if we put forth loving personal effort for them they may be saved.
Jesus, the spotless Son of God came down, to where we were in the sin and filth of this world to seek and to save us, to cleanse us from all our sin, and make us fit for His presence. How must He, the holy One of God, have shrunk from sin, but on Calvary’s cross He took upon Him the sins and guilt of those who trust Him, bore the wrath of God against those sins and put them all away. His jewels now are those whom He has cleansed. “And they shall be Mine,” He says, “in that day when I make up My jewels.” Mal. 3:1717And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. (Malachi 3:17).
Like the stars of the morning
His bright crown adorning,
They shall shine in His beauty,
Bright gems for His crown.
ML-10/07/1973