“As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious.” (1 Peter 2:4, ESV)
During Christmas vacation, our family visited the American Museum of Natural History outside of Central Park in New York City. One of the sections in the museum is the Hall of Gems. It was a family favorite. The kids were amazed by the size and different colors of the stones.
The thing about many of the stones is that they were once hidden and buried in the ground. When they were mined, they were jagged and dirty. They needed to be cleaned, cut, and polished. Their value and beauty are not fully realized at first. To an untrained eye, many of the precious stones might easily have been rejected as ordinary stones.
In today’s reading, Peter talks about Jesus as a living and precious stone. While he was chosen by God, he is rejected by men. Too often, we fail to grasp his value and see his beauty. But he is indeed more valuable than anything else, even if we fail to see the value.
Most amazing is he is a stone that is a “living stone.” I don’t know about you, but I have never seen a stone like that. When you possess this stone, you have a treasure that is of greater worth than anything else in this world. He is so valuable that he is worth exchanging everything you have in this life, that you might attain it. What would you give in exchange?
Reflection
- What are you willing to give in exchange for the living stone of surpassing worth?
- What to you is most beautiful about Jesus?
Prayer
Jesus, you are the living stone. You are chosen and precious. You are of surpassing worth. Too often I fail to see your full beauty and worth. Too often I have exchanged you for things of lesser worth. Open my eyes to grasp just how precious you are. May I be willing to give up everything to follow you. Amen.
Leave a Reply