"all that glitters...

...is not gold."

It's an old saying that holds a timeless truth, and it's one that recently shook me. Hearing it a couple of weeks ago, one might have thought I had heard it for the first time considering the thought-provoking impact it made.

Back in the gold rush, many times miners thought they had made a fortune only to find out that what they thought was valuable, genuine gold was actually its counterfeit, iron pyrites (what we know as "fool's gold"), which is worth virtually nothing. How disappointing this must have been! The miners were probably devastated and felt cheated.

Have you ever fell in love with a movie star, particularly because of a certain movie character played, only to find out after you researched him that in real life he's not anything like that character? In fact he might have some real serious character flaws. What a disappointment!

On a personal note, upon hearing this thought, I determined that I did not want to be fool's gold; merely glittering like the real thing. Speaking of which, how do you tell if what seems to be gold is actually gold? Well it is said that it has to go through a testing process. The Bible says that just as fire tests and purifies gold, so trials test and perfect our faith (1 Peter 1:7). Trying shows what the substance being tried is actually made of. If it's false, it will likely be consumed by the fire, and if it's genuine it will purified and strengthened.

The Bible gives other ways to tell whether a glittering personality or appearance of ourselves and others is a true reflection of what our character really is. Consider Matthew 12:33 & 35, "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or else make the tree bad and its fruits bad; for a tree is known by its fruit... A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."

I don't know about you, but I would be crushed to find that after going through trials that whatever glitter I might have is proved to be only surface deep. The only way to assure that we are genuine gold, is to have first established a relationship with Christ, recognizing Him as our Lord and Savior, and then continually seeking Him through His Word, prayer, and active faith. Through all of these comes the strengthening of our character, so that when the fiery trials come we are not consumed and shown to be merely fool's gold, but only pure, authentic gold!

I am glad for the reality check, and I pray that when I am tested I will come forth as gold- and the same goes for you too! So shine on in all authenticity!

Nobody's fool's gold,

dirty hands

The southern country is home to beauty, rich history, values, and good, hard-working people. One can't afford to mar their reputation, for a good name is valued above great riches here. Once lost, it seldom can be redeemed. Actions indeed speak louder than the most eloquent speech. These people look at the fruit of a tree to determine it's character. So what could they mean when they say something like, "Dirty hands account for a clean heart"?

There is something about simple, down-to-it, hard work that has a soul-cleansing effect. With my sister soon to be having a baby any day now, I have come to stay with her on her farm to help out with everyday duties while her husband is overseas. If anybody has an excuse to lay around and do a lot of nothing, she has. Despite that, she has been doing everything she can to get things together for her husband's return: scrubbing walls, vacuuming out vehicles, organizing shelves, you name it! She pulls me into her little schemes, and together we get it done.

Hard work, the kind that requires you to press past the feelings of the outward man (the flesh), the kind that brings on real sweat, the kind that you do because it needs to be done (not because there is necessarily some reward or benefit), is the kind that produces the strengthening of character, restful sleep, and a clean conscience, because it causes you to deny yourself- Score! One more point for the inner man! :D

In Ecclesiastes 4:5 we read, “Fools fold their idle hands, leading them to ruin.” I think that complements are southern saying pretty well. So dirty hands, in the case of our saying, means hard-working hands. A hard working person doesn't have much time to get into trouble, and works honestly for what he has. Also in this case, clean hands figuratively (and literally sometimes) can be a sign of idleness. They may look nice on the outside, but what do they say about those who possess them? So risk breaking a nail, and go get those hands dirty, girl!

Need motivation? Check out Colossians 3:23, "And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not to men;." Need fuel? The joy of the Lord is your strength! (Neh. 8:10)