I Love Gem Mining!

The first time I did it was in 1998. I was on a summer mission team in the southwest mountains of NC. On our days off, we drove around and did touristy things. We visited local stores and ice cream shops and Gold City. We went to Santa’s Land and Cherokee and Dollywood. We went to Nashville and Bryson City and tubed down the French Broad River. We did a lot of really cool things! But my very favorite thing was gem mining. I loved it! And to this day, I still do.

I love the dirt and grit and literal connection with nature. I love the water that runs to clean the dirt and grit off of the rocks/gems and my hands. I love the mountain smells and breezes that accompany the experience. I love the reality of an ugly rock being transformed into a beautiful gem only by being cut and chiseled and shaped by a master gem cutter—not by remaining in its raw form. In fact, a few years ago, I wrote:

Gem mining is one of the most pleasurable experiences that anyone can have. Take a bucket of “special dirt,” a sifting pan, a gentle stream of water, some old clothes and a lot of patience, and there’s no telling what you will find. And it’s easy! Simply wash away the dirt and watch the rocks—the gems—appear.

Sometimes I think that we’re all just buckets of dirt. On our own we don’t look like anything special, but when we surrender ourselves into someone else’s hands we find that we are full of precious gems—precious gifts and talents that are vital to this world. These hands, of course, are Jesus’ hands—hands that have the power to wash away all of the dirt—all of the hurt and pain and suffering—that covers up our beauty.

So the next time you hold a gem, remember that you are precious. Just like the gem, however, in order to be manifest into your full beauty you have to be willing to be broken, cut up, and polished. Being found is easy—just let Jesus hold you. But being made into the most beautiful self you can be is difficult. When God finishes working with you, though, you will be the most precious gem in the world—the gem that you were created to be.

No need to write anything new tonight. I think that says it all.