The Necklace

The cheerful little girl with bouncy golden curls was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw it - a fake white pearl necklace in a pink foil box. "Oh Mommy, please, can I have them?" she asked. Her mother checked the back of the little box and then looked back into the little girl’s pleading eyes. "They’re $3.00. If you really want them, I'll think of some extra chores for you and you can save enough money to buy them for yourself."

As soon as Jenny got home, she emptied her piggy bank and counted out 68 pennies. Over the next week, she did more than her share of chores and soon earned the needed $3.00 to purchase the pearl necklace.

Jenny loved those fake pearls. She used them for dress-up and they made her feel so grown up. She wore them everywhere - Sunday school, kindergarten, even to bed.

Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night as he finished the story, he asked Jenny, "Do you love me?" "Oh yes, Daddy! You know that I love you," she replied. "Then will you give me your pearls?" he asked. "Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Princess, the white horse from my collection. She's my very favorite."

"That's okay, Honey, Daddy loves you. Good night." And he kissed her cheek.


The next night, after the story time, Jenny's daddy asked again, "Do you love me?" "Daddy, you know I love you," she responded. "Then will you give me your pearls?" "Oh Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my baby doll. The brand new one I got for my birthday. She is so beautiful."

"That's okay. Sleep well. God bless you, little one. Daddy loves you." And as always, he kissed her cheek.

The next night when her daddy came in for story time, Jenny was just sitting on her bed. As he came close, he noticed her chin was trembling and one silent tear rolled down her cheek. "What is it, Jenny? What's the matter?"

Jenny didn't say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little pearl necklace. With a little quiver, she finally said, "Here, Daddy; this is for you."

With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny's daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime store necklace, and with the other hand he reached into his pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case with a strand of genuine pearls and gave them to Jenny.

He had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the genuine treasure.

So it is, with God. He is waiting for us to give up the cheap things in our lives so that he can give us beautiful treasures.

Personal testimony: Early in 2007, a pastor told this story in his message and that was how God delivered my husband and I from a decision that would have put a serious strain on our marriage and family. I was so delighted when I got this as an email (over 3 years later)...at least now I have the opportunity of sharing it with you all. God bless.