Stress
Only one witness was present when Joseph Asscher buried his heavy knife in an incision in his target and raised his hammer to strike the knife. He was the grandson of the founder of the most famous diamond cutting company on earth. For three months he and his brother had studied the great Cullinan diamond intensively. A famous physicist in England had examined it using polarized light and detected a small flaw deep inside generating tremendous stress. Joseph took aim at the flaw and brought his hammer down with one precise blow.
Perhaps it feels like stress is building up. But the Master Jeweler is paying attention to His gem. “Thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer” (Psalm 4:1). Joseph’s blow was perfect. It gave birth to the Star of Africa diamond that graces the English Royal Sceptre and also to the centerpiece of the English Imperial Crown. The rough, stressed stone was replaced with gorgeous polished gems for the glory of the sovereign. May the blows in our lives produce eternal glory for the “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS” (Revelation 19:16).
