Producing Precious Things
Anything of value takes time to become more valuable. My husband loves old cars. We have had a few, but this one he has now is super special and more valuable than the others. This sharp bright red sports car was produced in 1965. At that time it was valued at the price of most cars in those days. It was nothing special and had competition like the 65 Mustang, for instance. But now, because of time, and being more scarce, the 65 Nova is much more valuable now, especially to my husband, than it was 58 years ago. It became more valuable over time. I kinda like that idea!
But you see, that is how God works too. He cares more about who you are becoming. Time isn’t an issue for HIM. He also knows that it takes things like time, fire, and pressure to produce the most beautiful things on planet earth! These three elements, while seemingly harmful and destructive, are actually used to bring about the most beautiful results in our lives as well.
Fire, for instance, is an element that is absolutely necessary in producing the fine gold jewelry that we love to wear! But Gold in its pure form is not beautiful. In order for it to become the gold we use for rings, chains and beautiful created pieces of art, it needs to be refined by undergoing a process that requires intense heat. It is soft and malleable, able to be made into a thin wire that stretches for miles. It is rare and scarce. All of the gold on the planet can fit into a cubed space the size of a tennis court. (Mining for Gold by Tom Comacho)
Gold is a universally accepted substance of the highest value. It is pure, it doesn’t rust or corrode. “Gold has been treasured by cultures all over the world since the beginning of time. God had Moses make the precious articles of the tabernacles out of pure gold.” Even the streets of heaven are told to be made of pure gold in the book of Revelation.
“Of gold usage globally, 80% is used in the making of jewelry. Gold bars are held by large banks as reserves to guarantee their ability to repay depositors and trading partners. Gold is also used in coinage, medicine, dentistry, computers and even aerospace applications. And, of course, gold is used in making the highest Olympic medal.
But gold in its pure form is hard to see and to draw out. It must be mined out. Then it must go through the refining and a forming process to make it what the designer wants it to become. So must we. You and I are as rare and precious as this natural metal. But refining and forming are necessary for the beauty to come to its full reality.
Similarly diamonds are not beautiful in their natural state and must be mined out. They too have often been missed and found invaluable; just a regular rock in its natural state.
Diamonds must also undergo a process to become the precious gemstones we use for wedding rings and many other types of jewels. Diamonds must have three things present to produce a diamond: time, extreme pressure, and intense heat! To become useful and to be given the value that they have in our eyes they have had to endure a lot to get to this state. Becoming a diamond for our purposes doesn't happen overnight.
“Diamonds are made purely of carbon and are formed about a hundred miles beneath the surface of the earth. It takes high temperatures and extreme pressure for carbon atoms to bond to each other in a particular way that produces a diamond. Pressure, heat, and time.” (Acres of Diamonds by Jentzen Franklin).
But for both of these naturally created elements, the creator knew their beauty, worth, and value to the Kingdom long before we did! Your creator knows you in your purest form. He knows because he formed you! He knows the precious gift you are to the world. He also knows what it takes to bring out the precious beauty inside of you…you have inside of you diamonds and gold! It may take pressure, heat, and time to bring it about, but you are more precious than diamonds and gold!
Heat can also come in the form of a drought or extreme temperatures like in a desert climate.
Similar to the processing of gold and diamonds, this type of extreme temperature produces something just as precious in the form of a tree.
An olive tree, which is super tough and is equipped to thrive in either a drought or in sub zero temperatures…extremes like frost and fire! Sound familiar?
According to a blog I found on this website that deals in olive trees, olivegroveoundle.co.uk, I discovered that they are extraordinarily resilient. They’re roots are so strong that they can regrow even when they’ve been totally decimated. If the roots are intact the olive can cling to life and rise above the soil once again. Isn’t that a picture for us to hold onto?
The olive tree produces liquid gold! The oil is used to represent the oil of joy and gladness in the bible. But to get the oil the olives must undergo an extreme crushing, a pressing that is required in order to produce this precious liquid. Not until this process takes place do we get this amazing liquid used for health, beauty, healing, and anointing!
But before we can even get to this state, the tree must also undergo the process of pruning. This is necessary to even produce the fruit that brings us the lovely olive oil. Without pruning, removing dead, diseased and infected branches the fruit will not come or it won’t be in its best state. It will be of poor quality and unable to produce more fruit.
For instance, part of this pruning requires removing the branches that rub together. I didn’t think about this, but how interesting that God made it that the branches that rub up against each other need to be removed. Sounds like life! Why? Because they will damage each other and inhibit the growth for each other. Also, they block the sunlight from coming in. LIGHT is critical for growth! By removing the branches that are blocking it, the sunlight is able to get to the center of the tree where the light is an absolutely necessary element for the growth of the tree.
Remember the time that was necessary for the production of a diamond? This is true of the Olive Tree as well. The growth of the olive tree is slow and steady. Also, the fruit, the olives, actually grow on the previous year’s growth. This makes it even more important and critical that healthy fruit is produced consistently every year. Consistency of time, light, and proper pruning are elements that make the olive tree and the wonderful products we enjoy! Every part of the tree is used! Nothing is wasted! The olive tree can thrive and reproduce for thousands of years, the oldest is known to be 2000 years old.
They are stunning and sacred! Like each one of you.
Like gold, diamonds and the olive tree…you are resilient and able to withstand the most difficult and beautiful of days… to go from surviving, reviving and ultimately thriving in your life, so you can help others to do the same.
Remember the necessary elements to produce these precious gifts? Time, pressure, and heat!
What are you going through that might be for refining you, forming you to be who God intended you to be?
The value you are to the world can only be fully realized after going through these processes? Because God loves you enough not to keep you the same, but to be formed in HIs image and to be more like him so the world can know him more through you! You are more precious to him than gold!
