A Diamond is Forever

The morning stars may fade, but mercy me, I hope your heart shines brighter than a porch light on a summer night. Because according to Paul in 2 Corinthians 4:6-10, along with every Southern grandma worth her salt, we’re supposed to “shine like stars,” not flicker like a bug zapper on its last leg.

Now, that got me to thinkin’ about that old nursery rhyme: “Twinkle, twinkle little star…” Honey, that song has more theology in it than some Sunday sermons. “Like a diamond in the sky”? Well now, that’ll preach.

See, diamonds don’t start out lookin’ like something you’d slip on your finger. Nope. They start out lookin’ like a lump of coal that’s been through a hard season, kinda like most of us on a Monday morning. Then the jeweler gets ahold of it. Chips it. Grinds it. Spins it around on that polishing wheel like it’s ridin’ the Tilt‑A‑Whirl at the county fair, and little by little, that dull rock starts catching the light.

Sound familiar?

God’s been doin’ the same thing with us, His kids, since Abraham was countin’ stars in the desert. We’re part of that same family: adopted, chosen, loved, and polished. And just like diamonds, the more cuts we’ve survived, the more places God has to shine through.

Paul said it plain in Philippians: “quit fussin’ and fightin’ so you can shine.”  And bless our hearts, some days we shine, and some days we sputter. But the Master Jeweler never quits. He keeps shaping, smoothing, and polishing until His light bounces off every facet of our lives.

Now, here’s the best part: one diamond is pretty, but a whole cluster? Lord have mercy! That’ll blind you with glory. That’s what happens when God’s people shine together, your little light, my little light, all of us twinklin’ like heaven’s chandelier.

So, here’s my prayer:

Lord, keep me on Your workbench. Chip away what doesn’t look like Jesus. Polish me ’til I shine for Your glory, and remind me that my light gets brighter when I stand beside Your people. Make us a whole cluster of diamonds pointing the world straight to You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Now go on and shine, sugar. The world’s dark enough without you dimming down.

With Joy,

Gwen