A Gem among Men
“Mrs. Menary, your husband is a gem.” This thought was expressed by a student of a Bible College not thirty miles from Crossgar. I am sure that the fellow had no ulterior motive in so expressing himself. It was merely accidental that he had sat his Christmas examination. Absolutely an accident that I was one of his examiners. I am sure that he had no such unworthy thought as to imagine that his spontaneous outburst of praise would be worth a few badly needed
marks.
Now to get back to the young man’s statement. I have just consulted my Dictionary and have found the meaning of “gem.” Here it is: “A jewel; cut and polished precious stone. That which is remarkable for beauty, rarity or perfection.” In the light of this definition it’s well that I can boast of being humble.
Perhaps without realising it my student friend was touching on a Bible truth. In the book of Malachi God speaks of His people as His jewels.
“And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewel” Malachi ch. 3 verse 17.
WE ARE HIS JEWELS BY CREATION
No man, Church or Organisation can create a Christian. Paul says: “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” He says also; “Therefore if.any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new.”
WE ARE HIS JEWELS BY REDEMPTION
Some jewels cost a vast amount of money. Look at what Peter says about the cost of liberating us from the bondage of sin: “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... .But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” There is nothing more precious than the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
“O precious is the flow,
That makes me white as snow.
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”
Now notice what is said about God’s Jewels in Malachi Ch. 3.
THEY FEARED THE LORD. Ver.16.
There was the fear of reverence. The great need of our time is for men to fear God. There is too much of the fear of man and too little of the fear of God. Too much fear of the creature. Too little fear of the Creator. The Bible says: “The fear of the Lord, that is wisdom.” The Psalmist says: “0 fear the Lord, ye his saints, for there is no want to them that fear him.”
THEY SPAKE OFTEN ONE TO ANOTHER. Ver. 16
There is need for fellowship in the Christian life. “Come and hear, all ye that fear God, and I will declare what he hath done for my soul.” Seek the company of those who will encourage you to speak of what God has done for you.
THEY THOUGHT UPON HIS NAME
The name here means the person and his work. What is His name? Verse 17 gives us the answer: “The Lord of hosts.” There is might, power, grace and glory in his name. If we really love the Lord Jesus we shall think upon Him often and meditate much upon what he did that we might be numbered among His Jewels.
Jewels are things of great beauty. They are colourful, bright and sparkling. The Christian life, lived in the fear of God is a precious jewel.
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me,
All His wondrous compassion and purity.
O Thou Spirit divine all my nature refine,
Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.”
