Remember who you are and why you stand out. This is what you have to offer.
I'm pretty sure I was born talking. Words are my favorite--whether sung, spoken, or written. I believe that words have the power to change hearts and grow minds, to cause walls to crumble and perspectives to expand.
As usual, Scripture says it best:
"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."
Proverbs 25:11
My life could be summed up by the books I have read, starting with the Bible. They are more than piles of information on paper and screens...they are my mentors and friends, the voices that have shaped my life impermeably, for the better. From the day I gave my life to God, He made sure to pile on all the gold and silver I could handle, in the form of just the right book. The sensation of hearing truth summed up with succinct beauty and simple depth is a thrill greater than a roller coaster to me. And to dig deeper and unearth the treasure--the personal meaning so perfect for my situation hidden inside--that is one of my favorite things about being alive.
The significance of the "set in silver" verse, for me, is two-fold.
Apples of Gold~
God's Word is my ultimate Treasure. My journal pages are filled with awe, overflowing and glowing with fresh amazement as He does it again and again...the Living Word infusing me with His Life. From childhood, I have been a lover of the Scriptures, a rapt student feeding on the faithfulness of the Lord and obsessed with digging up whatever messages the Lord has for me today. The Word of God is meant to be enjoyed fresh, every day, as the Spirit makes it come alive. I spend my days basking in its brilliance, but that's not enough if I'm not pointing others to its beauty.
Settings of Silver~
Don't be afraid of the intensity. It produces the invaluable.
My Savior is the ultimate silversmith. With unflagging patience, delight, and determination, He refines my life in the furnace, smoothing the edges, polishing the impurities until the goal is eventually met--full maturity in Christ. I can trust His Hand in the fire, for only the dross is consumed. He never walks away, never leaves me in the heat. The point is never to destroy me, but to remake me. To remove all that will hold me back, and to bring out what will shine. I am learning that the intensity of life in the Lord's crucible is nothing to be afraid of. It's producing the invaluable in me.
To be set in silver is to be a warrior in training. To have an enthusiasm that is God-breathed, an identity that is unshakable. This is what I'm learning from the Silversmith. I do not lie down in the face of life's battles but I stand and fight in the strength the Lord provides. I am not invincible but I'm armed by the One Who is.
My God never loses. So in Him, I can always win.
Be Inspired
Ask the Lord today to set you in silver, to fill your life with His Words. Emptiness is not necessary, for God's thoughts toward us outnumber the grains of sand on the seashore (Psalm 139). He has plenty to say about you, about me. Ask Him to leave gems in your path, pieces of treasure for you to unearth. Receiving His messages is one of the greatest privileges of this life. And then we get to share them!