More Precious Than You Can Imagine

Malachi 3:3 says: “He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”  The story is told that this verse puzzled some women when they heard it used in a Bible study.  They heard that it was a statement about the character of God, but they did not understand how this verse spoke about God.  After they expressed their confusion over this verse, one woman said that she would find out more about the refining process of silver.

The next week that woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him work.  She didn’t mention the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.  As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.  The silversmith explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were the hottest.  This was part of the process of burning away the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot, and then she thought again about the verse from Malachi 3:3 - “He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.”  She asked the silversmith if it were true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined.  The man replied with a definite yes.  He explained that he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire.  If the silver was left too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment then asked, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”  The silversmith smiled at her and answered, “Oh, that’s easy, when I see my image in the silver.” Perhaps you are being “heated” in the fire of difficulty.  Remember that God sees you and is with you the entire time.  The goal is that His image is to be seen in you.  Keep looking up!