Pearly Beauty

True beauty comes from the trials and pressures of life. Many strive to achieve an unrealistic ideal of the beauty portrayed in society. Depending on where you live on the globe, beauty has different definitions. The "issues" I think I need to fix here in America would be honored in another country. Perhaps I need to move. Is there a standard you use to measure yourself that is different from the standard you use when measuring others? When you think of the most beautiful women you have ever known, do you think of their outer appearance or is their beauty something that radiated from within?

Think of the process involved in forming a pearl.
 

The formation of a natural pearl begins when a foreign substance slips into the oyster between the mantle and the shell, which irritate­s the mantle. It's kind of like the oyster getting a splinter. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up that irritant to protect itself. The man­tle covers the irritant with layers of the same nacre substance that is used to create the shell. This eventually forms a pearl.So a pearl is a foreign substance covered with layers of nacre. Most pearls that we see in jewelry stores are nicely rounded objects, which are the most valuable ones. Not all pearls turn out so well. Some pearls form in an uneven shape -- these are called baroque pearls. Pearls, as you've probably noticed, come in a variety of various colors, including white, black, gray, red, blue and green. 

The beauty of a pearl begins when something foreign, an irritant, enters into the life of the oyster. The oyster's natural reaction is to cover up the irritant to protect itself. How human-like of the oyster! Is that not what we do when things happen in our lives that are irritating? With the same substance used to form our outer shell, we layer over our hurt. Just like pearls, our beauty comes in many varieties. Without the irritants, hurts, and pains of life, a pearl cannot be formed. There are pearls cultured by harvesters. The end result is basically the same, but there is a difference in value. The formulated pearls are more common. The ones produced by nature are more valuable because they are more rare.

The same applies with us. Only you own the rights to YOUR story. Only you are aware of the pains and pressures that have resulted in the pearl you have become. The things that have happened in your life are what make you rare. The pearl that is your life is something you should value and protect. This means to be careful in whom you entrust your beauty. Many will want to use your beauty for their own purposes without realizing the beauty and purpose of your pearl. This is so important that even the bible talks about the subject.

"Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces." Matthew 7:6

My prayer today is that each of you recognize the beauty in the pearl that has resulted from the irritants in your life. I also pray for wisdom for you in who you entrust with your pearl. If you have already had your pearl trampled by others, then I pray for the restorer God to reassemble the pieces again. If you do not see your life as being beautiful, then I pray today is the day your outer shell is cracked open to reveal the beautiful pearl hidden inside!