The Girl with the Pearl Earring(s)

In removing my pearl earrings in the bathroom this morning, I dropped one on the

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floor. Finding a 2mm white pearl earring on a 2inch square white tile floor isn't easily. Especially if you haven't put your contacts in yet.

I looked across the floor for the earring and saw no sign of it. Normally, losing an earring wouldn't bother me because I have learned over the years to not invest in expensive earrings. My father used to give me nice earrings for Christmas each year. It wouldn't take long before one, if not both, of the earrings would be lost. Once my dog even ate one of them! Finally I had to tell him to stick to the imitation variety. So none of my earrings have any value, except this pair.

These pearl earrings, while actually pearls, probably don't have much monetary value, but they have great sentimental value for me. My father gave them to my mother and they are very dear to me. I knew I had to find that little earring.

My vantage point of standing in the bathroom allowed me to see a great deal. I could see myself in the mirror, I could see the pencil drawing of a mother and child which Glen brought me years ago. I could see the black and white photo of myself and my siblings taken when I was just a tot. But I could not see the earring.

Looking down on the floor was not sufficient. I had to get down on my knees. No, not just my knees, on my hands and knees, to find that earring. I looked all around and finally saw the shine and luster of the tiny pearl.

As I picked it up, still on my knees, the spiritual truth came home to me. We cannot find the Pearl of Great Price while standing up. When in a position to center our thoughts and actions on ourselves, we will never center ourselves on another. Pride in our heart can keep us from fully knowing the Lord. It is only on our knees that we come to see what the world may view as insignificant and small, but we know to be of greater value than everything else.

"That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:10,11)