Diamonds & Pearls

At forty, I purchased my first set of fiery diamond post earrings. I already had a pair of pearls, but I still wanted something simple, yet sophisticated. I was conflicted with the purchase due to the nature of the diamond conflict. So, I purchased a lab grown diamond instead. Well, that night, the Spirit of the Lord dealt with me as to why I purchased the lab grown diamond. We proceeded to dialogue about the conflicting nature of the children of my ancestors being in Africa and mining the very stones I could have been wearing. I proceeded to tell the Lord how I wanted to stand against child mining and that this was the best way I could support the cause. I also reminded Him that I was so much against the industry that when I got married, I would like to wear a pearl instead of diamond. 

You see, I identify more so as a pearl as a way that I was nurtured emotionally as a child. But, as I finished my drawn-out explanation, He gently whispered, “have you not also grown to be the woman you are under such great pressure like the diamond”? I said, “yes, Lord”. Then, he said, “Are you not of the same woman that have been created within the Earth under much conflict.  I said, “Yes, Lord”. Then, He showed me, that I too have been in the same position as the diamond, bought underhanded and sold for a little of nothing at the hand of its traders. 

Then He said, When you look into the stone, do you not see the same kind of fire within you that I placed inside the diamond? I said, “Yes, Lord”. You know all things. 

So what is the difference if you purchased the diamonds produced in the wild? Are you still the prized destined diamond and prized pearl that I created you to be? Then, go back and make the exchange. Wear them, cherish them, and don’t forget where they come from; the wild. 

Last year, at the age of forty, I bought my first pair of fiery diamond post earrings. I sought something simple yet sophisticated, but the purchase left me conflicted. In light of this internal struggle, I opted for a lab-grown diamond.

That night, the Spirit of the Lord prompted me to reflect on my choice. We engaged in a dialogue about the ethical concerns surrounding the mining of diamonds in Africa by the descendants of my ancestors. I explained to the Lord that my intention was to take a stand against child labor in the industry, and by choosing a lab-grown diamond it felt like a way to support this cause. I even expressed my commitment to wear a pearl instead of a diamond when I got married, emphasizing my identification with the growth and emotional formation of a pearl.

As I concluded my explanation, the Lord gently whispered, asking if I hadn’t also grown into the woman I am today under great pressure, akin to the formation of a diamond. I humbly acknowledged, and He further pointed out that, as a woman of color, I (along with my ancestors) also experienced being undervalued and traded for very little.

He then showed me that when I look into the diamond, I see the same fire within me that He placed inside it. I admitted, “Yes, Lord,” acknowledging His omniscience.

The Lord questioned, “What difference does it make if you purchased diamonds from the wild? Are you not still the destined diamond and prized pearl that I created you to be?” With this realization, He encouraged me to go back and make the exchange. To wear and cherish the diamonds, always remembering their origin in the wild.

To my sisters, mothers, cousins, grandmothers, and aunts; I want to share this revelation: just as the fire within the diamond mirrors the fire within us, and just as the diamond undergoes pressure to become precious, so do we. The Bible says that the Proverbs 31 woman is, “a wife of noble character and is worth far more than rubies.” As for wisdom, “nothing you desire can compare with her”.  This month, I would like for you to find one way to embrace your worth, acknowledge your strength, and stand proud as the prized gems that you are. We are all formed under unique pressures, but by the grace of God, we are destined for greatness together!