Jewelry consists of ornaments such as bracelets, necklaces, rings and earrings, all created with precious metals like gold and silver and set with expensive diamonds, emeralds, rubies, zirconia and pearls. Pearls are unique and have been used as a symbol of the moon, modesty and purity. After doing some research I found that interestingly enough, the pearl is the only gem that is created by a living organism. The smooth, lustrous, round, structure inside the shell of a clam or oyster is also the birthstone for June. It also symbolizes a happy marriage.

A jewelry artist from the jewelry company once wrote a letter to his wife describing his love for her. Pearls are created by an oyster; when an oyster swallows a grain of sand it feels the discomfort, so it begins to ease the pain by applying a coat of pearl.  It is during the healing process that a beautiful pearl is created.  It is rather ironic to think that something so beautiful can be created out of so much discomfort. This is like life itself. It is easy to love in the good times, but it takes courage to love through the discomfort of our lives. The pearl represents courage, love, and healing.

These jewels are one of the oldest known to man, with the oldest-surviving pearl necklace dating back to over 2000 years ago in 520 BC, which was discovered in the sarcophagus of a Persian princess.

In ancient times it was a declaration of wealth and power and often adorned to bring good fortune, ward away evil and to cure illnesses. In the civilized Middle East and Asian societies, pearls were worn as early as 3500 BC, and continued to grow in popularity during Roman times. In ancient Rome, only persons above a certain rank were allowed to wear pearl necklaces, pearl pendants, pearl earrings, pearl bracelets and other pieces of pearl jewelry. The Latin word for “pearl” literally means “unique”, attesting to the fact that no two pearls are identical.

In the Bible the world pearl is mentioned nine times. “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking beautiful pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:45­–46

In ancient Rome, only persons above a certain rank were allowed to wear a pearl, but in the book of Matthew, God is telling us that all of us can have this pearl. When we started our personal journey in finding the Pearl of Great Price, God gave us some advice. He said, “look, search, and you will find.”  While we are on the journey, we need to be going through a process; in other words we need to be purified in the furnace. We need to deny ourselves, take our cross, and be afflicted.

“Jesus said to him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me.”  Matthew 19:21. If we want to reach the pearl we have to let go of things. An unknown author wrote, “Giving up doesn’t always mean you are weak; sometimes it means you are strong enough to let go.” Are you ready to enter into the furnace and be transformed?  From weakness we will become strong, from our darkness we will be able to shine, from our pride we will receive humility, a new heart, and we will become a new person.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6. God also gives us beautiful promises that are mentioned in the Bible. In the book of Malachi chapter 3: 17 God says, “And 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.” Isn’t that nice that God calls us His treasure?

If we let God work on us, we are no longer going to be an unclean thing. Just imagine for a moment that we all are in a big jewelry box, and each one of us is gold, silver, a diamond, pearls, emeralds or maybe zirconia.  Although zirconias are not real, they are a very good imitation of diamonds; to the naked eye it can be hard to see which one is real.  But God knows His jewels; we are the apple of His eye.  If you want to be real gold or diamonds, let the great Creator take the dust from you and let Him put you in the furnace. You will have discomfort, and troubles will come, but do not worry, Jesus will be with you. Don’t be a zirconia; even though they look like they are real, they are fake. They are not created by God, but by man.

When Alberto and I got married, he made me a promise. Since he was not able to buy me my engagement ring, he told me that on our 7th anniversary he was going to give me a diamond ring.  To add more value I said to him, please put a diamond for each year.  So Alberto agreed that on our 7th anniversary, the ring was going to have seven diamonds.

I used to love jewelry. My favourite flyers were the ones that came from the jewelry stores, and when I was in the mall I would stop in the jewelry stores and look at the rings, bracelets, and necklaces.  Our sixth anniversary arrived, with lots of problems also. I was not sure if it was worth to have a ring with seven diamonds, since our marriage was going through a very difficult time. I was very upset.  I thought that Alberto had broken his promise. It was at that time when Alberto brought Br. Timo Martin to give us Bible studies.

It was then, when I was in so much pain, that Jesus came to me, and it was then when I learned to love in the discomfort. It takes courage to forgive and forget. By our seventh anniversary I learned that God had something different for Alberto and for me. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the LORD.” Isaiah 55: 8.  Not long ago I realized that Alberto didn’t break his promise; he gave me something better than my ring with seven diamonds, and perhaps he didn’t even realize that he gave me my best gift—my first Bible.

This summer it is going to be 12 years since Alberto and I got baptized. Before I got baptized I went through a very difficult time in giving up jewelry.  I still have some earrings with the necklace that has some pearls with little diamonds. I still have my wedding rings and some gold pins.  When I decided that I was going to be baptized, I put them in a little jewelry box and I put it in one of my drawers and it has been there for almost 12 years. Not long ago when Sister Leila showed us the pictures from Africa, I realize all the needs that our brothers and sisters have to go through, and I thought, “I don’t need these and I can exchange it for money and send it to Africa.” I remember that at the start it took me courage to show my ears without earrings. I felt strange.  One day a girl, the daughter of a visitor came to me and she said, “why do you have the marks of earrings?” And she said, “didn’t you know Jesus?”  I was speechless, but I answered “yes, I knew Jesus, but I didn’t know Him the way I know Him now.”

These little marks that I have in my ears mean a lot to me; it means that once I was in the world and now  I’m very happy to show that I no longer belong to the world and that I was able to give up something for Jesus. The same day that I took off my earrings I took Nidia and Elaine’s earrings too. They were very little girls and they agreed immediately without any question. Two months later my mother come to visit us from Mexico and the present that she brought to my daughters was a pair of nice gold earrings. I couldn’t explain to her why we were not wearing earrings because to my mother it was very important that girls and women alike wear earrings. So I lied, telling her that Nidia and Elaine had an infection and that is why they were not able to use them. She told me that we can wait, but my mother was very persistent; and two weeks later she asked me to bring Nidia and Elaine to her and that she was going to put the earrings in their ears. I didn’t know what to do, so I went upstairs and began to pray about how I could explain it to my mother so that she could understand why I took this decision. Then I remembered the pictures from my baptism; I brought it to her and said, “I want to show you something.”  I told her that I got baptized and that I don’t need jewelry anymore, or my little girls; my mother didn’t understand for a while and she got upset with me for not accepting her present for her granddaughter s. It was a really hard time for me, since it was not easy for me to take the jewelry, and for my mother, but later she understood. And thank God I stood firm and I did love my mother very much, and I will always remember all the sacrifices that she made for my siblings and I.

Like I said, before I was ready to let go of my jewelry, my precious diamonds and pearls were sold in a jewelry store in a Newmarket mall on June 12th..  And before I sold them I asked for a better price since I wanted to send them to Africa for an offering; I wanted to send the best, but I didn’t realize that gold is like dollars and I was not able to sell them  as though they  were new. It was very difficult to understand when they told me that the pearls and diamonds didn’t have any value; it was the gold that they were looking for. I tried to get back the pearls and my little diamonds since they were not of value to them, but the answer was that it takes time to take them apart and it isn’t easy to separate  them;  it is easier just to crush the gold and pearls with the diamonds together. That day and the day after I was very upset and I cried when no one was around. I didn’t want to upset my children; I didn’t cry because I gave up my jewelry, I cried because I realized what the pearl of salvation truly means.

My pearls and diamonds were real and I took good care of them. I received them with a lot of love; to me my jewelry was perfect and unique. I remember that I used to wear my pearls and diamonds only for special events. During this time I remember a lesson that we often forget. God gave His Son, the only One. Jesus is perfect and the only Son of God. He is the pearl that we should always invite with us for every occasion and everywhere we go;  He wants us to share with everybody His love, His sacrifice, that through Him we can have salvation and be able to meet the Father.  Many times I don’t value His love, and like the vendor in the jewelry store who didn’t value my pearls and diamonds, I do the same to Jesus with my attitude, my resentment because others have done something wrong to me. How many times have I crushed Jesus, crucifying Him again and again? Who am I to question this?  I should rejoice when trouble comes.  I cry when I hear the sermons and the hymns because I recognize that there is still a lot of work for me.

The prophet Isaiah had declared that the Lord would cleanse His people from their iniquities “by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning.” The Desire of Ages, p. 107

“For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29. Fire is used to purify gold and silver. The fierce heat burns up all the impurities from the metal and leaves only the pure gold or silver behind. Before placing the metal into the fire you cannot see the impurities in it, but once you start the heating process, the dross (impurities) is revealed and then consumed (burned). In the same manner, the Holy Spirit shows us our sins. If we accept His calling and put the sins away, the Holy Spirit cleanses us from sin and gives us power to become the children of God. “I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10. The process is not easy, and Jesus doesn’t want to us to be separated from Him, but we are the ones that forget His promises. Now my jewelry box doesn’t have my jewelry. It seems that it is empty, but it is not. It is full of memories, and my memories don’t have a price. I am very happy that I let it go completely for our family in Africa.

In the book of Revelation is a beautiful promise “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.”  Revelation 21:21. It is my wish and prayer that that we may enter into the furnace to purify ourselves and one day we can walk in this amazing city. Amen.

Lucia Flores