Diamond in the rough

And have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Colossians 3:10

Have you ever seen a real piece of coal? Its dark ashen color? Its rough edges? Its dirty and not so appealing smell? Coal or a mineral of fossilized carbon can be used for many amazing and extraordinary things. It has been used to propel trains across the lands far and wide; it can be used to heat homes, and even villages. Last evening at youth group we discussed what it is like being adopted by God. No longer being orphaned to the world but now being part of a royal family. As the teens went around the room and explained how this changed their view of themselves after being adopted into God’s family I thought about what it felt like, what I saw happen, and how I view my own adoption. Hence the coal.

My life much like the coal was dark, it was rough inside and out, certainly dirty, and on occasion even smelled bad. As I began to mentally process this I realized that there is more to the coal than meets the eye.

I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:14

Coal when put under pressure, extreme pressure, begins to change. Its already hard self becomes even harder and eventually something new is born. When I was adopted by my Daddy and given a new life I was certainly under some extreme pressure. I did not know that when I accepted Him because He loved me no matter what, that I would be transformed. That pressure created a new me, a treasure. This treasure is sought after and one of the most precious stones on the planet today, a diamond.
So as the coal goes through this extreme change and becomes new so do we in our new family lead by Christ. But have you even seen a raw diamond? Needs work, right? Well so do we. Sometimes we feel like we are not part of that family; that we are to dirty or miss shaped to belong. This is a lie that the enemy tells us so that we will not become the beautiful polished treasure that God sees and desires us to become. To take a raw diamond and make it shine takes time, patients, the right tools, and lots of hard work. As Christians this is what we are to do as well. God desires us to see ourselves as he see us a valuable treasure.

Through seeking Him, praying for guidance, wisdom, knowledge, and perseverance, reading the Bible, the live word of Him and his glory, and giving our lives over to Him so he can use us for His will, the benefit of others, and the greatness we were designed for, we become those multifaceted, clear, flawless treasures that we were molded from. I guess all this is to say that whether you are still orphaned, a lump of coal, or if you have been adopted and are still an uncut diamond, or maybe even you have begun the work to polish that treasure; God already views you as His prize, His treasure, and His love. You are designed to go through great pressure in life to become a valuable stone that shines the true light of Christ. 

In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16