My child, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, or lose heart when you are punished by him; for the Lord disciplines those whom he loves, and chastises every child whom he accepts.

TO me no gem is as beautiful as a polished beach agate. No two agates are the same. Their color and internal design lend a beauty and character far beyond any other stone; yet in their natural, sandy habitat, they are often unrecognized by the hundreds of tourists who plod up and down our beaches.

The agate lies in the sand along with other stones; it blends in with the beach unrecognized. But the agate hunter can usually notice the small glint of reflected color that sets the agate apart from other stones, just as a Christian can usually be noticed by small signs that set him or her apart from the crowd.

We can see the agate's true beauty only when the stone is subjected to harsh grinding, tumbling, and polishing.

Like those stones, each of us, despite our differences in shape and appearance, may blend in with the crowd. Nonetheless, we are created to reflect God in the beauty that each of us possesses. Sometimes our God-given beauty is obvious only after much tumbling and spiritual polishing.

Fred W. Buehling (Oregon, U.S.A.)