The Silversmith Story

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 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 says: "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. If the silver was left 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
easy...when I see my image in it." If today you are feeling the heat
of the fire, remember that God has His eye on you and will keep
watching you until He sees His image in you.
God Bless