Jenny's Pearls
The following story had a tremendous impact on me when I first heard it several years ago and helped change the trajectory of my life.
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Jenny’s Pearls
One day, a little girl accompanied her mother to the grocery store. Jenny was almost five years old and a happy child. As they completed their shopping and waited in the check-out line, Jenny saw it- a plastic pearl necklace in a pink foil box. They were beautiful! She immediately begged her mother to buy them for her.
Her mother looked at the price and told her, “Jenny, these cost $2.50, which is a lot of money. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll buy them for you, and when we get home, you can make up a list of extra chores you can do to pay for the necklace. Also, with your birthday coming up, Grandma just might give you a whole dollar bill too.”
Jenny agreed, and for several weeks she did extra chores around the house to earn the money. As her mother predicted, when her birthday came around, Jenny’s grandmother gave her a crisp $1 bill. She finally had enough money to buy the pearls from her mother.
When she put the pearls on, she felt like a princess. She wore them everywhere. From school to the playground and even to bed. She even wanted to wear them when taking a bath, but her mother said it would turn her neck green.
Jenny’s Father
Jenny had a very loving father. Each night, when it was time for her to go to bed, her father would stop what he was doing and go and read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”
She replied, “Oh yes, Daddy, you know that I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.”
“Oh no Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have Ella, my favorite doll. You gave her to me last year for my birthday, remember? She’s my favorite.”
“That’s ok honey, Daddy loves you. Good night.” He kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
A week later, after story time, her father again asked her, “Jenny, do you love me?”
She replied, “Oh yes, Daddy, you know that I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.”
“Oh Daddy, I can’t, not my pearls. But you can have Elroy, my favorite horse. You can even have his pink saddle too.”
“That’s ok honey, sleep well. God bless you and Daddy loves you. Good night.” As always, he kissed her on the forehead and left the room.
A few nights later, when her Daddy came in to read to her, he found Jenny sitting up on the bed, with her chin trembling.
“What’s wrong Jenny? Is everything ok?”
Jenny didn’t say anything, but instead held out her hand and gave him what her little fingers clasped- her pearl necklace.
“Here Daddy, you can have them.” With that, she dropped them in her father’s outstretched hand.
With tears in his own eyes, her father took the plastic necklace and put it in his pocket. With his other hand, he reached into his other pocket and pulled out a blue velvet case and gave it to her.
With wonder, Jenny opened it to find a strand of genuine pearls. He had been carrying them in his pocket the entire time, wanting to give it to her, but waiting until she was ready to give up her plastic version.
Our Lives
Is there a vision of your life that you are clinging to? Is there a particular relationship, job or mindset that you continue to grasp at even though you sense it’s time to let go?
It is hard to let go of our own plans and ideas of how we think our life should go. However, we have to be open to the fact that maybe the reason why we feel ‘stuck’, is because we’re persisting down one path and God is inviting us to journey down another.
In Matthew 7:7-11, Jesus tells us to, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Which one of you would hand his son a stone when he asks for a loaf of bread, or a snake when he asks for a fish? If you then, who are wicked, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to those who ask him.”
I want you to picture your most prized possession, the very thing you are most clinging to. Is it an idea, a job, a person? I invite you now to imagine placing that very thing in your hand and offering it to Jesus in front of you.
As you offer it, thank Him for it, and ask Him to give you the authentic thing He’s been wanting to give you instead. Ask for the grace to be aware of it and receive it.
Over the next several days and weeks begin to take note of your desires and the new opportunities or ideas that come up. As they come up, begin to pursue them and evaluate the fruitfulness. If you find yourself beginning to grasp at your old vision and plans, go back and offer them to Jesus and ask Him again for the authentic thing.
As you put this into practice, I would love to hear what new desires and direction God leads you to. Please reply to this email me or send me an email at valentina@fiatcareercoaching.com.
With love,
Valentina
“For when we say ‘Yes’ to God, we change the world”!