REFLECTIONS

THE MATCHLESS

PEARL
The author of this there—like a beggar The skin will break on built for him shortly
story is unknown, so we who has been let in out your knees, and you after he came to In-
have no way of knowing of pity. I may be proud, will have blood dia—the same chair
if it actually occurred. but I want to deserve poisoning before you Morse had sat in on so
However, it is still a my place in Heaven. I get there—if you ever many occasions while
vivid illustration of a want to earn it, and so I get there!” he had read the Bible
truth that can some- am going to work for it.” “No, I must get to to his friend. Rambhau
times be hard to grasp. Nothing that Morse Delhi,” affirmed left the room to return
could say seemed to Rambhau, “and the soon with a small but
Years ago, while an have any effect on immortals will reward heavy strongbox.
American named Rambhau’s decision. me for it! The suffer- “I have had this box
David Morse was living Years passed. ing will be sweet, for it for years,” he said. “I
and working in India, Then one evening will purchase Heaven keep only one thing in
he met and became Morse heard a knock on for me!” it. Now I will tell you
friends with a pearl his door. It was “Rambhau, my about it, my friend. I
diver, Rambhau. Rambhau. friend, you can’t. How once had a son. ...”
Morse spent many “Come in, dear can I let you do that, “A son! Why,
evenings in Rambhau’s friend,” said Morse. when Jesus Christ has Rambhau, you have
cabin, reading to him “No,” said the pearl already suffered and never before said a
from the Bible and diver. “I want you to died to purchase word about him!”
explaining its central come with me to my Heaven for you?” “No, I couldn’t.”
theme: God’s love and house for a short time. I But the old man Even as he spoke, the
salvation in Jesus. have something to could not be moved. diver’s eyes filled with
Rambhau enjoyed show you. Please do “You are my dearest tears. “Now I must tell
listening to the Word of not say no.” friend on earth. you, for soon I will
God, but whenever “Of course I’ll come,” Through all these leave, and who knows
Morse would encour- replied Morse. years you have stood whether I shall ever
age Rambhau to accept As they neared his by me in sickness, in return? My son was a
Christ as his Savior, cabin, Rambhau said, want. Sometimes you diver too. He was the
Rambhau would shake “In a week’s time I will have been my only best pearl diver on the
his head and reply, start working for my friend. But even you coasts of India. He had
“Your Christian way to place in Heaven. I am cannot turn me from the swiftest dive, the
Heaven is too easy for leaving for Delhi, and I my desire to purchase keenest eye, the
me! I cannot accept it. If am crawling there on eternal bliss. I must go strongest arm, and the
ever I should find my knees.” to Delhi!” longest breath of any
admittance to Heaven “That’s crazy!” Morse Inside the cabin, man who ever dived
in that manner, I would exclaimed. “It’s nine Morse was seated in a for pearls. What joy he
feel like a pauper hundred miles to Delhi. chair Rambhau had brought to me!

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 REFLECTIONS

“As you know,” “That pearl, my and I wouldn’t sell it cost God the lifeblood
Rambhau went on, friend, is perfect,” for any money. Its of His only Son to gain
“most pearls have replied the Indian worth is in the life- entrance for you into
some defect or blem- quietly. blood of my son. I Heaven. In a million
ish that only an expert Then Morse was cannot sell this, but I years, in a hundred
can discern, but my struck with a new can give it to you. Just pilgrimages, you could
boy always dreamed thought: This was the accept it in token of the not earn that entrance.
of finding the perfect very opportunity and love I have for you.” All you can do is accept
pearl—one finer than occasion he had Morse was choked, it as a token of God’s
all that had ever been prayed for to help and for a moment love for you, a sinner.
found before. One day Rambhau understand could not speak. Then “Rambhau, of
he found it! But in the value of Jesus’ he gripped the hand of course I will accept the
gathering it, he stayed sacrifice. the old man. pearl in deep humility,
under water too long. “Rambhau,” he “Rambhau,” he said praying God I may be
He died soon after. said, “this is a wonder- in a low voice, “don’t worthy of your love.
That pearl cost him his ful pearl—an amazing you see? My words are Rambhau, won’t you
life.” pearl! Let me buy it. I just what you have accept God’s great gift
The old pearl diver would give you ten been saying to God all of Heaven, too, in deep
bowed his head. For a thousand dollars for the time.” humility, knowing it
moment his whole it.” The diver looked cost Him the death of
body shook, but there “What? What do you long and searchingly at His Son to offer it to
was no sound. “All mean?” Rambhau Morse. Slowly he you?”
these years,” he con- asked. began to understand. Tears rolled down
tinued, “I have kept “I will give you “God is offering you the old man’s cheeks.
this pearl. Now I am fifteen thousand salvation as a free gift,” The veil that had
going and may not dollars for it—or if it Morse said. “It is so clouded his under-
return, so to you, my takes more, I will work great and priceless standing was begin-
best friend, I am giving for it.” that no man on earth ning to lift. “I see it
my pearl.” Rambhau stiffened can buy it. Millions of now. I could not be-
The old man his whole body. “This dollars are too little. lieve that salvation was
worked the combina- pearl is beyond price. No man on earth could free. Now I under-
tion on the strongbox No man in all the earn it. If he were to stand. Some things are
and drew from it a world has money work for it all his life, too priceless to be
carefully wrapped enough to pay what his life would be bought or earned. I will
package. Gently part- this pearl is worth to millions of years too accept His salvation, my
ing the cotton packing, me. On the market, a short. No man is good friend!”
he picked up a mam- million dollars could enough to deserve it. It
moth pearl and placed not buy it. I will not sell
it in Morse’s hand. it to you. You may only How very, very rich [God’s] kindness is, as shown
It was one of the have it as a gift.” in all He has done for us through Jesus Christ.
largest pearls ever “No, Rambhau, I
found off the coast of cannot accept that. As Because of His kindness, you have been saved
India, and glowed with much as I want the through trusting Christ. And even trusting is not
a luster never seen in pearl, I cannot accept it of yourselves; it too is a gift from God.
cultured pearls. It that way. Perhaps I am
would have brought a proud, but that is too Salvation is not a reward for the good we have
fabulous sum in any easy. I must pay for it, done, so none of us can take any credit for it.
market. or work for it.”
For a moment The old pearl diver It is God Himself who has made us what we are
Morse gazed with awe was stunned. “You and given us new lives [through] Christ Jesus;
and was speechless. don’t understand at all, and long ages ago He planned that we should
Then he exclaimed, my friend. Don’t you spend these lives in helping others.
“Rambhau! What a see? My only son gave —The Bible, Ephesians 2:7–10 TLB.
pearl!” his life to get this pearl,

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