Minnie Pearls Amongst Us

Good Morning!

Greeted with fresh breezes, blue skies, and sunshine,

I felt blessed to be able to sit on the porch for some 

time of meditation today.  I often sit quietly for awhile 

to see what He will say.  Today's message was unexpected. 

I thoughtI was just being distracted... distracted by meaningless things.

I could not have been more wrong. 

We have  Minnie Pearls amongst us!

What am I talking about??  Well, if you are younger than myself, 

or not in the South, you may not know of Minnie Pearl.

Minnie Pearl was a comedian.  Pearl's comedy was gentle satire 

 of rural Southern culture, often called "hillbilly" culture.

 Pearl always dressed in style-less "down home" dresses

 and wore a hat with a price tag hanging from it, displaying the price of $1.98. 

 Her catch phrase was

"How-w-w-DEE-E-E-E! I'm jes' so proud to be here!"

 delivered in a loud holler. 

"AND..?"  you may be thinking.  

Yes, we have comedians in the South, but NO, that is not what I mean.

In my "meditative state" (lol) I noticed the price tags were still on

the new pots we purchased this week for our growing herb garden 

and my sunflower.

UGH!!!!

 I don't like to see price tags on items.

 TACKY- right?

So I tried to remove them, but 

the moisture from recent rains

made that difficult.

So, here they sit with the price tags half removed:

As I was scratching on them, getting the icky sticky driven up
under my fingernail, I heard the familiar "Still, small voice" say;
"Many of those that I paid for still have price tags on them."

Our neighbors passed by, taking their daily walk. There are price tags on 
them, and they don't even know it. They have been purchased but 
they know nothing of the pearl of great price!

THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT THEY ARE PRECIOUS TO THE LORD, 
AND THAT THEIR DESTINY IS THE KINGDOM!

And there is another group amongst us. They have removed the price tag
altogether. They do not want to be reminded of the cost of their redemption.
They don't intend to return, to repent, visit the Service desk to ask for the exchange of righteousness for filthy rags  that is available for them.
  They discarded the price tags and live as though their life ,
 or any life has no real value. How sad. 

And then there is you and me. 
We know the price. We don't have it hanging from a hat
but the price was on our heads-
 and it was paid IN FULL
$2,000 years ago!

 We wear it boldly and even proudly- 
like a neon sign. 

 We are just proud to be here!
And we understand that we don't want it removed.
 We need reminders of
the cost , and of our value.
 { Yes, it was more than $3.00, 
but it did involve the Trinity!  }
BUT...
 Can we get past the focus upon ourselves and
our issues and our blessings enough to see
the Minnie Pearls?? 
The ones oblivious to the price?
And what about those removed- distant and rejecting the Offering all together? 
HEAR the FATHER'S CALL to you and I today:
it is a Kingdom Call to go out and reveal the price tags 
and restore the value to those 
whom He purchased with the Blood of His Son!

Matthew 13:45-46

Amplified Bible (AMP)

⁴⁵ Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls,

⁴⁶ Who, on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it.

WHATEVER IT MAY COST US
 TO SHARE, TO EXEMPLIFY THE KINGDOM, 
IT IS WORTH IT!

I pray you will be aware, alert  and prepared
to answer this simple but profound call. And that you
are reminded of it each and every time you shop,
and your eyes land upon a price tag.
May you encounter multitudes of Minnie Pearls
on your journey!