The SILVERSMITH

The SILVERSMITH
-Author Unknown.

There was a group of women in a Bible study on the book of
Malachi.  As they were studying chapter three they came across
verse three which says, "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of
silver." This verse puzzled the women and they wondered what
this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out about the process of refining
silver and get back to the group at their next Bible study. That
week the woman called up a silversmith and made an appointment
to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the
reason for her interest in silver beyond her curiosity about the
process of refining silver. As she watched the silversmith, he held
a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that,
in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of
the fire where the flames were hottest so as to burn away all the
impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot -
then she thought again about the verse, that He sits as a refiner
and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if it was true that
he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time the silver
was being refined. The man answered that yes, he not only had
to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on
the silver the entire time it was in the fire. For if the silver was
left even a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the
silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully refined?" 
He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's the easy part --
when I see my image reflected in it."

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire, remember that God
has His eye on you and will keep His hand on you and watch
over you until He sees His image in you.