Daily Devotional for January 22, 2017
Diamond in the Rough
Noelle dropped her book bag in the corner of her grandmother’s kitchen. She shook her head when Grandma offered her apple slices and dip. “No, thanks, Gran,” she said. “I don’t feel like eating.” She sighed. “Nothing is going right! You even prayed with me that I’d pass my math test, but it didn’t do any good.” A tear slid down her cheek. “Oh, Gran, I hate school. Everything just seems harder for me than for everybody else. Even gym class is hard—I often have to sit out and watch everyone else have fun because of my asthma. And things aren’t any better at home! Mom and Dad won’t let me get a puppy because the doctor says I’m allergic to dogs and cats.”
Grandma handed Noelle a tissue. Then she slowly twisted the diamond ring off her finger. “Take a look at this,” she said, holding out her ring. “Do you know anything about diamonds?”
Noelle took the ring. “Well, I know they’re expensive,” she said, “and they come from mines. I think it takes a long, long time for a diamond to form.” She slipped the ring on her finger and held it up to the light. “Wow, look at it sparkle!”
Grandma smiled. “A diamond doesn’t look like that when it comes from the ground. At that stage it’s called a diamond in the rough,” she said. “It takes an expert stonecutter to very carefully cut and polish it and make it look beautiful.”
“I remember hearing that in school,” said Noelle. “It requires a very sharp tool, and just one slip can make a diamond shatter and be ruined.”
Grandma nodded. “And did you know that we’re like diamonds in the rough?” she asked. Noelle shook her head. “God is our Master Stonecutter,” continued Grandma. “The tools He uses—disappointment or hardship, for example—may seem painful to us, but He uses them to make us strong and beautiful. We can trust Him to use every circumstance for our good—He never makes a slip.”
As Noelle continued to admire the diamond, Grandma placed the plate of apple slices on the table. This time, Noelle reached for one. – Joyce R. Lee
How about you?
Have you been disappointed when you asked God for something and it didn’t happen? Do you think He doesn’t care about what happens in your life? He does care, but He knows that not everything you ask for is best for you. Trust Him even when hard or painful things happen. Let the Master Stonecutter turn you into a beautifully polished diamond.
Thank you for reading this Keys for Kids devotional! Did you enjoy the story? Has Keys for Kids been an encouragement to you and your family? If so, would you please consider supporting Keys For Kids Ministries in our effort to continue to provide these daily devotionals to children around the world?