Pearls are valued everywhere for their special beauty. Some of the most valuable are found mostly in the Persian Gulf where delicate cream-colored pearls come from a little, three-inch oyster. Other larger pearls, silver-white in color, are quite valuable and usually come from big Australian oysters. Black pearls, which are really a dark, shiny gray, are probably the most valuable.
Pearls are found in many other ocean waters also, including along the shores of Japan, China, South America, Europe, North America and elsewhere. Some come from freshwater oysters too, particularly in the Mississippi River and other rivers running into it. Although these pearls are very pretty, they are nowhere near the quality of saltwater pearls. These freshwater pearls usually are used in bracelets, necklaces and rings.
The Japanese produce great quantities of “cultured” pearls by placing a tiny bead to be the irritant inside the shells of three-year-old oysters they are “farming.” When the oysters are seven years old, their shells are opened. A valuable pearl is found in about one out of every 20 opened. The imperfect pearls will, however, still be sold and used. Cultured-pearl “farming” is done in other places as well, but Japan does the most.
How is a pearl formed? Usually an irritant, such as a small grain of sand, gets inside the shell and up against the oyster’s body. The oyster cannot get rid of it and relieves the discomfort by covering it with a thin coating of a substance called nacre. The oyster continues coating it, and over a long period of time the tiny particle gets larger - a little each year, until eventually a pearl is formed. Its color may be cream, pink, black, brown, silver-white or even orange or gold.
Natural pearls that are perfect may be worth thousands of dollars. The imperfect ones are valuable too and often are used in jewelry. Sometimes no pearl is found in an oyster’s shell, but the inside of the shell may be covered with a coating of “mother-of-pearl.” This can be sold to a button factory or be used on the side of a vase, table lamp, decorative plate or other place.
The Bible verse quoted at the beginning was spoken by the Lord Jesus. He likened Himself to the merchant who spent all that he had (gave His life on Calvary’s cross) to purchase a pearl of great price (those who will thank Him for that wonderful sacrifice and accept Him as their Saviour). What wonderful love He showed in doing this. Are you part of that precious pearl? You can be. You only need to confess to Him that you are a sinner and accept Him as your Saviour by believing that He died for your sins. “They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels.” Malachi 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).
ML-03/21/1993