I may be dating myself here, but have you ever heard the old saying “You can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear?” The meaning is somewhat self explanatory but let me explain what I am getting at with this analysis.
A sow or pig’s ear is all covered with course bristly rough hair. Wallowing in the mud probably doesn’t help, but they love it. Certainly they don’t make quality material for a soft silky purse.
Now silk is made by the silkworm moth spinning a cocoon with tiny soft silky thread. A wonderful miracle in itself. Looking at the moth though, it is hard to believe such beauty can come from such an ugly looking creation. It’s a white creamy colour with rough bristly hairs, sticking out of it just like the sows.
I know someone who can make a silk purse out of a sows ear defying all the laws of man and nature. How do I know this, because I used to be like a sow’s ear before I let Jesus take hold of this rough, bristly, prickly vessel and begin the refining process that was very much needed. Taking the dried mud off took much scrubbing and scraping.
Just like this moth is able to weave such beauty, as I allowed Him, Jesus took hold of me and has been slowly changing me into a soft silky purse. As He works away my prickly bristles are wearing down to an almost smooth surface as He refines me into His image of perfection. His work has been long, hard, and I am still in the process of refinement until His refining date on me is done.
Now some of you may be thinking –“What an ego she has!” But you don’t know how much refining was needed to bring me to this point of silkiness. It isn’t my ego stating this but my awe in an awesome God and His love for me. I want to shout this miracle from the rooftops!
Only God truly knows what I was like in the past, what He has had to do to refine me into the person He sees in me. This process has been quite painful at times as He sanded and burnished the bristles of an obstinate attitude and disobedient will away. Still far from perfection, but remember, I am an ongoing work in progress.
Refinement can only be done by the Refiner through the Refiners fire. Let me encourage you to trust Him to refine you. Yes it may be painful, but the end result will make you into the best quality, perfect silk purse you can possibly imagine.
