September 28 – Pearls of the Kindom
Listen, dear sisters and brothers: didn’t God choose those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith, and heirs of the kindom promised to those who love God? (James 2:5)
Hidden beneath the waves, oysters quietly filter the water, purifying their environment without fanfare or recognition. When an irritant enters its shell, the oyster diligently works to transform it, layer by layer, into a lustrous pearl—a treasure born of adversity. These humble creatures embody a spiritual truth: God often works through the lowly and overlooked to bring about renewal and healing.
In the same way, God chooses those who are poor in the eyes of the world, those who have endured hardship and challenges, to be rich in faith and inheritors of the kindom. Like the oyster’s slow, steady work that turns irritation into a pearl, the steadfast faith and enduring hope of the oppressed shape a vision of God’s love and justice that shines brightly, even in the darkest times. Their witness serves as a reminder that God’s transformative power is often found in unexpected places, working through the most unlikely of agents.
Reflection:
- In what ways have I overlooked or underestimated the contributions of those deemed “poor” by worldly standards? How can I cultivate a deeper appreciation for the hidden work of transformation taking place in their lives?
- What irritants or challenges in my own life might God be inviting me to surrender, trusting in the slow, hidden process of the Divine?
Prayer:
Creator of all, open my eyes to see Your handiwork in the hidden places and to honour the sacred worth of those the world often overlooks. May I trust in Your transformative love, even amid life’s irritants and adversities.