God Looks Inside Parable

1 Samuel 16:7
Matthew 23:27-28

The ugly oyster is a gem. If you paddle much in coastal areas you will often see shells of different types on the sand. Usually it is the grand conch shells or even the sand dollars with their beautifully intricate designs that receive the most attention. Oyster shells on the other hand are not very glamorous and most people would immediately throw them back into the ocean if found on a beach. However, it is the unattractive oyster which often contains the valuable pearls of great worth and beauty. In the same way, God looks deep within us and sees a far greater worth than can be seen by those just looking on the surface. Furthermore, the pearl is a response to some bit of dirt or irritation entering the life of that oyster. How often have you looked at others the same way as the ugly oyster shells? Often through the ugliness of someone’s past, even through mistakes and sin, they can be transformed by God to make them even more dazzling and be able to better glorify God.