When John and I got married, we picked out my engagement ring together and although beauty was a factor, how much we could afford was a much bigger consideration. It was simple and small but I loved it. It spoke volumes to me since John has never been one to be real chatty when it comes to romance.
Fast forward 30 years and once again we were shopping for a ring but this time what we could afford was somewhat secondary to finding one that signified 30 years of commitment to one another. The problem was that John wanted a solitary diamond as big as we could afford and I wanted as many diamonds as we could afford but nothing big. As we trudged through jewelry store after jewelry store, I began to be concerned that this whole experience might lead to a divorce. Ironic, huh?
Then we found it. Five decent sized diamonds across the top with smaller ones on the sides satisfied both of our desires and since there are five people in our immediate family, it was the perfect representation of our union together. Whew! It looked like we might make it to 31 years after all!
We have now made it to 34 years and I must confess I find myself looking at my ring often. I am really not a materialistic person but there is something about this ring that fascinates me. Each time I look at it, I see something different. It sparkles in a variety of ways depending on the kind of light that hits it. Sometimes it looks a bit dull and I know it's time to have it cleaned. Looking at it from different angles brings out various aspects of its overall appearance; some good, some not so perfect. You've probably got a good idea already where this is headed, right? Our love is like that diamond; multi-faceted, sometimes a little dull and sometimes very "sparkly," prone to its ups and downs depending on what our focus is, etc. Although I can easily relate this to my relationship with my husband, it doesn't take a huge leap in thinking to realize that I tend to treat my relationship with Jesus in much the same way.
When I look at my diamonds from different angles, it is me that is moving around, not the stones. They are constant. My perspective is what changes. Jesus is constant and immovable. If my passion for Him changes, it is me that has moved, not Him.
When my ring gets dull and dirty, it is because it gets subjected to whatever "ickiness" I put my hands in. It has no voice in choosing what it is exposed to. The "ickiness" in my life is completely my doing. The Holy Spirit must deal with it and it "dulls" my relationship with Him.
I could go on but you get the point. They say a diamond is a girl's best friend but I have to take exception to that statement. A ring can be lost, stolen or broken. That is never the case when you have Jesus as your best friend. He's so much better than gold, silver or diamonds.
"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors." 1 Peter 1:18
