Written by William Wright:
Originally Posted Wednesday, June 3, 2015
If you squeeze an orange, what is going to come out of it? Orange juice. Why? Because that’s what’s in it. The only thing that can come out of an orange is what’s in it.
This principle holds true with people too. If you want to know what a person is really like, watch them under pressure. Ernest Hemingway said, “Courage is grace under pressure.” Do you agree? When added stress at home, at work, at school or sudden illness strike — it often reveals who a person really is.
Keep squeezing. What is going to come out? Some people explode in fits of rage while others take their frustration out on anyone in their path. Some people stay calm, composed and polite. Others become petty, sarcastic or mean. Watch how people act under pressure.
Take Jesus Christ, for example. When put under severe pressure, 1Peter 2:23 says, “He did not retaliate when he was insulted, nor threaten revenge when he suffered. He left his case in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.” — New Living Translation. The Contemporary English Version reads: “Although he was abused, he never tried to get even. And when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he had faith in God, who judges fairly.”
The only thing that came out of Jesus when he was “squeezed” was what was in him — kindness, patience, mercy, love, true forgiveness and trust in God. Hebrews 5:7-9 says, “God had the power to save Jesus from death. And while Jesus was on earth, he begged God with loud crying and tears to save him. He truly worshipped God, and God listened to his prayers. Jesus is God’s own Son, but still he had to suffer before he could learn what it really means to obey God. Suffering made Jesus perfect, and now he can save forever all who obey him.” — Contemporary English Version.
Suffering under pressure brought the best out in Jesus. It can also bring the best out in us, if we let it refine us and teach us to rely more on God and reflect His image in all things. As 1Peter 1:7 says, “The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God.” — GOD’S WORD Translation.
Comparing the process of refining silver and gold to God refining His people is mentioned in other Scriptures. Psalm 66:10 says, “For you have examined us, O God; As silver is refined, so you have refined us.” — New World Translation. In fact, Malachi 3:3 says, “He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the LORD.” — New Living Translation.
Perhaps you heard the story about some Bible students who were puzzled about what this refining process included and how they could better understand the workings of God through it. So one of the Bible students called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. The student didn’t mention any curiosity about the process of refining but simply watched the silversmith as he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up.
He explained that, in refining silver, one needs to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames are hottest, so as to burn away all the impurities. The student asked the silversmith if it was necessary to sit in front of the fire the whole time the silver was being refined. The man answered “yes,” adding, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the precious metal the entire time it was in the fire.
“Why?” the student asked.
The silversmith replied, “If the silver is left even a moment too long in the flames, it could be destroyed.”
The puzzled Bible student was silent for a moment. Then the student asked the silversmith, “How do you know when the silver is fully refined?”
He smiled and answered, “Oh, that’s easy — when I see my image reflected in it. It shines with a mirror-like quality when it’s ready to pour.”
The Bible student smiled. It all made sense now. It reminded the student how God carefully watches His people when they are undergoing fiery tests and will not let them be tempted beyond what they could bear, as 1 Corinthians 10:13 says. It also helped the Bible student to appreciate that when the heat is on, God wants to see His image reflected in us. But that only happens if we endure the heat.
As 1Peter 1:6-7 explains: “You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now. The purpose of these troubles is to test your faith as fire tests how genuine gold is. Your faith is more precious than gold, and by passing the test, it gives praise, glory, and honor to God.” — GOD’S WORD Translation.
So when you feel the heat of life pulling something out of you — just remember, if we want the good inside of us to be refined, we must endure the fire. Instill in yourself godly qualities by imitating Jesus Christ. Then when the pressure is on, all those fiery trials will bring out the very best in you — all to the glory of God.
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Published here 10/06/2015Source: http://clevelandbanner.com/stories/wright-way-let-pressure-refine-you,10336