“ well that is just a diamond of wisdom right there…”
-no one ever.
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, so that Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt.
In Job 28:12- 19, he asks “but where is wisdom found?….” The author makes it clear that wisdom cannot be purchased. the value of it is higher than anything precious in this world like gold, diamonds, and specifically in verse 18, pearls!
However, there is a reason that humanity has had a saying that dates back to ancient times… It’s “pearls of wisdom.” A precious diamond of wisdom, that undergoes pressure to form, just doesn’t cut it! (Pun intended, my daughter won’t admit it, but she loves a good dad joke)
So why pearls and wisdom?
Well, let’s look at clams, oysters and mollusks. When I read that sentence, my eyes roll back and insomnia kicks in instantly. Let’s get real, they are ugly and boring vessels on the outside, and are typically very strong and protective… I’ve tried to open one up before as a kid at the ocean and rivers thinking I would find some great treasure. My wife and I both grew up in Florida so we knew gold was never a possibility. What I discovered was: it ain’t easy people! There’s a reason you have to have special tools to “shuck an oyster!”
What happens is those tiny grains of sand end up getting stuck inside the Mollusk and cause issues of irritation and downright uncomfortableness for the creature. However, God has given these things special membranes that take the sand grains and put it under lots of pressure, creating strong, iridescent, beautiful inner layer called nacre. (aka mother of pear) If you pick up a shell, you might see the rainbowy-looking layer which is known as “Seaglass.”
So what happens is, the sand under pressure in the membrane creates something beautiful out of that problem: the pearl!
But here’s the part that separates it from any other precious commodity: It happens in layers. The more trials those guys go under, the more layers form. Not all of them can house a larger pearl so the more layers, the more increase in rarity. A larger pearl is more sought after and valued higher.
Most of the time you cannot tell by the outside, how big the pearl is going to be. From a logical perspective, from someone on the outside looking in, it doesn’t always make a lot of sense to us which ones house the greatest treasure.
Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.
1 Corinthians 1:27-29
Another words: “Yeah, I got your pearl of wisdom right here.” -God
Wisdom IS truly valued more than jewels.
Joyful is the person who finds wisdom,
the one who gains understanding.
For wisdom is more profitable than silver,
and her wages are better than gold.
Wisdom is more precious than pearls (and rubies);
nothing you desire can compare with her.
Proverbs 3:13-15 NLT
However, there is a price. A cost. People ask for wisdom. But what people don’t ask God for is the trial that the wisdom is gained from.
Those who are wise will take all this to heart; they will see in our history the faithful love of the Lord.
Psalm 107:43
I always say: you show me someone with an incredible faith in the Lord, and I’ll show ya someone that has been through some serious stuff.
Seasons of Trials and Seasons of Rest
Lately (in 2023-2024), my wife, Laura and I have been going through some serious stuff lately. Ever since we started “giving teeth” to the vision that the Lord put on our hearts for the past 20 years: jumping out in faith as domestic missionaries, AND establishing a nonprofit ministry to bring the hope of Jesus Christ to the outcast youth so they can live on purpose with purpose, it has been nonstop “sand in a mollusk.”
Both of us during this time have been drawn to 2 Corinthians a lot. She has been using the term “feeling crushed” a lot lately. She’s been in a lot of despair, and been feeling very persecuted a lot lately. A lot of times by me acting out in frustration in my flesh. It’s been a roller coaster of emotions, and it has been really, really hard on Laura. A lot of the problems came from things out of our control, and then I made everything worse by choices I made, actions I took trying to take control.
But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
2 Corinthians 4:7-10
Until recently, I used to get down on her for thinking so lowly of herself, as we both struggle with self worthiness sometimes. But since these trials lately, God has shown me what she’s always meant by this:
We are those ugly mollusks, those “jars of clay“, the vessels that have no worth on the outside. “Jars of clay” (outside of the Christian 90’s alt band) are simply the biblical equivalent to the big plastic storage tub today. A lot of times those jars were just the garbage cans! The only treasure of value we have is what God gives us through his Holy Spirit inside of us. That is where our strength, patience and grace is drawn from.
For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
So death is at work in us, but life in you.
Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, “I believed, and so I spoke,” we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 4:11-15
During the last 12 months Laura and I have both had to extend a whole lot of grace with a whole lot of people. And for the past 12 months, it has increased our thanksgiving and pointing back to him in ALL THINGS. Although I would never wish on anyone the kinds of trials and things we’ve had to endure, my pearl of trials and wisdom is significantly larger and I give all praise and glory to Him for a strong relationship and dependency on Him!
But for Miss Laura, I don’t think anyone is going to have quite as large as the pearl she has. She is so tired. Anyone would be mentally exhausted with what we’ve endured, but add on top of that her TBI (traumatic brain injury); And we’re still not through everything as we prepare to put all of our belongings into giant clay jars (aka storage containers) for a month, and then move into our new home. Which is close by and we are so thankful for God providing through a couple that was willing. But moving again and having a weird month of temporary living is going to take a huge toll on her. Neither of us are looking forward to the moving part as our “outer-selves” waste away.....
She’s been talking several months about desiring “rest.” I would give her breaks, let her go out of town, got her an airbnb in the middle of nowhere for a weekend....nothing ever helped. Then I thought maybe she’s talking about just wishing God would take her? nope. Not that either.
We thought this Mission Event Center location was going to provide the rest she was looking for, and in a couple ways, it did: she didn't deal with headaches nearly as bad, but neither of us could ever get “grounded” and we burned out so badly.
I didn’t understand it at first, and then God started putting things on my heart; like going to the book of Ruth (which I really never have outside of veggie tales!) The kind of rest she’s talking about in verse 3:1 when she says “my daughter, should I not seek rest for you, that it may be well with you?....” is what Naomi desired in the book of Ruth after she decided to change her name because she was in so much anguish and emotional turmoil, or Job wishing he had never been born at all.
So how does it all come together?
Now you probably thought this was going off on tangents like a typical blog mom, but let me reel it in:
Remember that verse from 1 Kings at the top? You thought it was just talking about Wisdom and Pearls right? Well listen to Solomon’s words just a few verses later in
1 Kings 5:3–5
… Because the warfare with which his enemy surrounded him until the Lord put them under the soles of his feet.
But now the Lord, my God has given me rest on every side.
There is neither adversary Nor misfortune, so I intend to build a house for the name of the Lord my God....
With all his wisdom gained, Solomon did find rest which helped set the stage for him to build the temple.
At the end of Job 42, he found rest and restoration.
And in Ruth, Naomi finds rest when she holds her grandson(the son of Ruth and Boaz, their “Redeemer”) in her lap, and nurses him.
In Genesis 50:20 when Joseph is reunited with his brothers and tells him what they intended for evil, God intended for good.
Although my wife really DOES need a good vacay and break; the rest she’s referring to is the pausing season of life in peace, comfort and assurance of God’s will and provision and love. A “Selah” from Psalms, if you will.
I KNOW by the way I can see the Lord working in both our lives, we’re close to getting to that ‘rest,’ but we're not there yet. Until then we keep on fighting the good fight, running the race with endurance, and giving God the glory for every layer of wisdom in a pearl of “James 1:2-3” joy.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
We might not be able to see the pearl that God is making in us through our trials and tribulations.
We might not be able to perceive the wisdom that He has granted us in those moments (whether we asked for it or not.)
We’ll continue to be of ‘good courage’ as it talks about 1 Corinthians 5:6, knowing that this is not our permanent home until we see glory. We walk by faith, and not by site. It is the Pearls of Wisdom he grants us through our tribulations that tell us He’s still there, and we are part of a bigger, broader picture that we in our finite selves can’t always see but having faith that our empty vessels are serving that greater purpose.
So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.
When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears
and delivers them out of all their troubles.
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous,
but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,
for those who are called according to his purpose.
As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.
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