The Silversmith

PSALM 66:10,12: "You have tested us, O God. You have purified us like silver... We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance."

Malachi 3: 2-3 says that the Lord is like a blazing fire that refines metal. He will sit like a refiner of silver, watching closely as the dross is burned away.

The story goes that once there was a woman who, after reading that passage in the Bible, wanted to find out exactly what a silversmith does. So she took herself down to his shop to watch him work. He bent closely over the silver, as he held it in the fire. As that silver endured the heat and pressure, it's impurities rose to the surface. The silversmith scraped away the dross, layer by layer, as it rose. As this happened, the silver became purer by the moment. The lady then asked him why he watched the silver so closely. He replied that he must watch it closely, for even a few seconds too long in the fire and the silver would be injured. The lady asked how he knew the silver was refined - and he replied "That's easy. It's done when I see my image in it."

How much like this, is our suffering? During the hottest, most intense pressure of our lives, our ugliness rises to the surface, doesn't it? I have seen this come from my own heart during the "heat."

But what struck me the most about this story is the silversmith's wisdom in knowing exactly how long the silver should be refined. Sometimes we don't think we can bear any more. But we can rest assured that God is watching us closely - He will not allow the suffering for one moment longer than necessary. He will lift the burden when He can see His image in us. 

Sometimes when I talk to my sister and brother-in-law, I fall to my knees BEGGING God to relieve their suffering. I am so afraid they hurt too much. I am so afraid they will be injured or destroyed, like the silver if left too long in the fire. This has been a struggle of mine lately. I have even gone so far as to dream up ways for ME to relieve their suffering a little (I guess it's a good thing I don't have a million dollars to send them on a  vacation?!?!) But this morning when I heard this story, peace washed over my soul when I realized that God is watching them far more closely than I ever could. In his wisdom, he knows what he is doing. He is the master silversmith and we are his precious silver. God loves Todd and Kate more than I ever could. He is far wiser than I will ever be. And believe it or not, I trust Jesus more than I did before all of this happened. (It does not mean I understand better, however :)).

I know that one day, our family will look back on this time and see it more clearly for what it is. Not that we will ever stop missing Enzo and longing for his chubby embrace - but after speaking with others in my life who have lost a child, I know that someday the sun will shine a little brighter in our lives. Our perspective will be a little clearer, the pain won't be so crippling. I choose to trust the Master Silversmith, even when the fire hurts.