The story is told of a king who owned a valuable diamond, one of the rarest and most perfect in the world. One day the diamond fell and a deep scratch marred its face. The king summoned the best diamond experts in the land to correct the blemish, but they all agreed they could not remove the scratch without cutting away a good part of the surface, thus reducing the weight and value of the diamond.
Finally one expert appeared and assured him that he could fix the diamond without reducing its value. His confidence was convincing and the king gave the diamond to the man. In a few days, the artisan returned the diamond to the king, who also was amazed to find that the ugly scratch was gone, and in its place a beautiful rose was etched. The former scratch had become the stem of an exquisite flower!
Any mistake we make in life may temporarily mar our reputation. but if we stick to what we know is right and continue to attempt to conform our will to that of God, we can trust Him to turn the "scratches" on our souls into part of His signature--that's what it means to have God's favor.
When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure. Proverbs 8:35.
Archbishop Danette M. Scott, Ph.D. A Ray of Hope Ministries Christian Center Sr. Pastor/ Founder www.AROHMCC.org
