What Jewels Are You Wearing?

I have always been fascinated with jewelry.  When I learned a few years ago that the meaning of my given name “Candice” is glittering, shining, and sparkling, then it all made perfect sense.

As a little girl I used to go into my grandmother’s bedroom, open up the lid of her jewelry box on top of her dresser, and just delight in all of her jewelry.  Most of it was costume jewelry, but that did not matter to me.  Those beautiful colored stones glistened and sparkled like real jewels.  My favorite piece was her man-made ruby ring that was given to her by her parents for her high school graduation. She knew how much I loved that ring and before she died she gave it to me.  I still wear it to this day.  It’s a memorial of her life.

So, whenever the Bible mentions jewels, it immediately has my attention.  This morning as I listened to the reading on Daily Audio Bible Isaiah 49:18B said, “As I live – this is my declaration to you – you shall wear all your children as jewelry and put them on as a bride does.” (Holman Christian Standard Bible)  What a beautiful word picture and I began to think about the jewels that I am wearing and how even more precious each of my four daughter stones has become to me since their dad went to heaven.

Leah is the radiant shepherdess jewel who gathered her dad and I up in her arms and carried us through the last few months of his life.  The gem of her life shone brightly like a beacon light that we knew would always be there for us.

Annissa is the jewel of wisdom with endless depths.  Her stone brings much delight as it throws out the light of who God is and what He is all about.  She and her dad would have the best and deepest conversations as the brilliance of her stone shone brightest onto the most beautiful jewel of all – GOD.

Charity is the shining star jewel whose luster shines greatest when she opens her heart in song.  Like a nightingale who sings during the night when no other birds are singing and sings loudly to overcome the background noises of the trials of life, she kept bringing her dad and I back to God who was walking with us through that dark valley.

Tshanina is the many faceted jewel whose gleam brings joy and delight.  Her stone lights up any room that she enters.  The rays of her beaming jewel brought her dad hope and comfort even in his most trying hour.

Now I wear these four luminous jewels of great luster and brilliance around my neck.  These daughters are the priceless treasures that God has gifted to me.  They continue to be the jewels that God made them to be and are walking together with me in this new chapter of my life and theirs.  What a treasure and comfort they are to me and how very, very blessed I am to wear them.

Whenever I wonder what glories my husband Bob is seeing in heaven, my first thoughts always go to all those jewels of the foundation of heaven that God talks about in Revelation 21.  My daughters and I all have a special made “Heaven” bracelet that contains each of those colorful foundation jewels as well as the gold signifying the streets of gold and the pearls of the gates of heaven.  This bracelet reminds us where Bob resides now and that we will see him again some day.

Think about the jewels in your life.  Perhaps you don’t have children.  Your jewels may be a sister, brother, or dear friend/s God has given you.  What kind of radiance are they shining into your life?  Have you told them how much they are blessing you and thanked them for it?