How About This Carrot?

    Sixteen years ago, Lena Paahlsson, of central Sweden, lost her wedding ring. All wives become distressed when their wedding ring is missing (at least those who are happily married). For Lena, this was of special concern since she had designed the ring and had it custom made. It was a beautiful white gold band with with seven diamond studs embedded.
    She had taken the ring off in her kitchen while baking Christmas cookies, and it disappeared. All garbages were searched. The plumbing was taken apart. They even redid their floors in hopes of finding it in the floorboards. But all to no avail, all hope was lost.
    Late last summer, while harvesting carrots in the garden, she saw something encircling a carrot she pulled out of the ground, something glimmering. Believe it or not, it was her lost wedding ring! Here it was, out in the garden, brought to the surface by a carrot!
    Lena and Ola believe the ring had gotten mixed in with compost that was taken out to feed the pigs (the garden is now in what had been the pigs feeding area). The pigs went through the food, but had no interest in gold and diamonds. It lay in the soil for sixteen years until miraculously found by the original designer and owner.
    You may feel a little like that ring. It was mixed in with garbage and thrown out to the pigs. Maybe you feel that way. But the ring didn’t stay in the dirt. Today it is cleaned, re-sized, and proudly displayed by Lena as a symbol of her marriage.
    God does some amazing things to rescue His treasures, and you are one of His treasures. He doesn’t want you wallowing in pigs’ compost, or relaxing in a garden, for that matter. He wants you fulfilling the purpose He designed and created you to fulfill. He wants to display you as one of His treasured works of art.
    I guess you could say that the cross is your carrot. Jesus said He came to seek and to save that which is lost (Luke 19:10). That means you. Trust Him with your life. He can shine you up and make you sparkle…and better yet, useful to His enjoyment and your good!