The Little Girl and Her Pearls

A little girl of about 7 years old was out shopping at the local centre with her mother one day. They happened to browse in a small beauty shop and suddenly the little girl saw something hanging on the racks. It was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen before in her life. She knew instantly that this string of artificial pearls had been created just for her and that she must do anything to obtain the pearls.

"Mommy" she said, while showing her mom the pearls, "I really, really want these pearls. They are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life."

Mommy checked the price and they were R25-00. "How much money do you have saved up now" Mommy asked the little girl.

"Oh, I have R10-00 saved at home but Mommy I will do anything to get these pearls".

" Ok, I will tell you what, Let's ask the lady to try and keep them for you and we will see if you can't earn some extra money by helping me clean the house and maybe helping your Granny too."

Off they went and the little girl became obsessed with helping at the house. She really wanted those pearls. She washed dishes, swept floors,cleaned rooms and before she knew it she had earned enough money to go and buy her pearls.

The little girl loved those pearls, they were on her neck all day and even when she slept.

One night, as usual, when the little girl was in bed and ready to sleep, her Daddy came in to kiss her goodnight.

Daddy asked her " How much do you love me?" " I love you more than anything in the whole wide world Daddy." "Give me your pearls," said her father.

"Oh no Daddy. You can have my teddy or my little pony. You can even have my barbie dolls, but just not my pearls." Daddy kissed her goodnight and left the room.

The same thing happened every night for the next month. Every night Daddy asked her to give him the pearls and every night she offered Daddy everything else, except her pearls.

One night as Daddy walked in to the room to kiss his precious little girl goodnight, she was crying. Tears were rolling down her face as she looked up at her Daddy. She held out her hand and said "Here Daddy, here are my pearls". It was a heart rendering moment as the little girl handed over the biggest and most prized treasure that she had ever owned in her whole entire life. It felt to her like she was giving away her life itself.

Quietly her Daddy reached out and took the pearls from her. Daddy then gave her a big hug. Then without a word he put his hand deep into his pocket and pulled out something and gave it to her. "Here" he said, "this is for you but I could not give it to you before you were willing to give me your old necklace".

It was a beautiful necklace of genuine pearls that he had had specially made for the little girl.

Her Daddy had the pearls in his pocket for the past month, waiting for the little girl to give up the imitation pearls first, in order that he could give her the real pearls.

Many times in our lives, there are those things that we hold onto and do not want to give to God. God can not give us the special gift that he has already prepared for us, unless we are willing to hand over to him some of the things that we guard as being precious in our lives.