There's a story about a...
Illustration
There's a story about a group of women who were studying Malachi 3. They puzzled over what it meant that God refined us like silver. So, one woman offered to research the process of silver refining and report back to the group.
The woman went to a silversmith and asked to watch him work. She watched as he held a piece of silver over a flame. He explained to her that it was important that the silver be held in the hottest part of the flame to ensure that all the impurities were burned away. The woman asked the silversmith if he had to sit in front of the fire the whole time. The smith replied that not only did he have to sit in front of the fire, he couldn't take his eyes off the silver for a moment, for if the silver was left too long in the flames, it would be ruined.
The woman then asked, "How do you know when the silver is refined?"
"Oh, that's easy," the silversmith replied, "when I see my image in it."
Thus does God refine us.
The woman went to a silversmith and asked to watch him work. She watched as he held a piece of silver over a flame. He explained to her that it was important that the silver be held in the hottest part of the flame to ensure that all the impurities were burned away. The woman asked the silversmith if he had to sit in front of the fire the whole time. The smith replied that not only did he have to sit in front of the fire, he couldn't take his eyes off the silver for a moment, for if the silver was left too long in the flames, it would be ruined.
The woman then asked, "How do you know when the silver is refined?"
"Oh, that's easy," the silversmith replied, "when I see my image in it."
Thus does God refine us.
