A PEARL NECKLACE

Little Molly was a bright-eyed, pretty five-year-old. One day when she and her mother were at the supermarket, Molly saw a plastic pearl necklace priced at $10. How she wanted that necklace! When she asked her mother if she would buy it for her, her mother said, “Well, it is a pretty necklace, but it costs an awful lot of money. I’ll tell you what. I’ll buy you the necklace, and when we get home we can make

up a list of chores that you can do to pay for it. Also, your grandma just might give you some money for your birthday. Okay?”

Molly agreed, and her mother bought the necklace. The little girl worked on her chores very hard every day. And, sure enough, her grandma did give her some money for her birthday. Soon, Molly had paid for her cherished necklace.

How Molly loved those plastic pearls! She wore them everywhere — to kindergarten, when she went out with her mother to run errands, and even to bed. The only time she didn’t wear them was in the shower — her mother had told her the clasp would turn her neck green!

Now Molly had a very loving father. Every night when she went to bed, he would get up from his comfortable chair, come to her room, and read one of her favorite stories.

One night, when he had finished a story, he made an unusual and difficult request of Molly.

“Molly, do you love me?”

“Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you.”

“Well, then, give me your pearls.”

“Oh, Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Rosie, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. And you can have her tea party outfit, too.”

“No, darling, that’s okay. Good night, my precious little one.”

Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss and returned to his favorite chair.

A week later, after he had read her a story, Molly’s father once again made that challenging request.

“Do you love me, Molly?”

“Oh yes, Daddy, you know I love you.”

“Well, then, give me your pearls.”

“Oh Daddy, not my pearls! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She’s my favorite. Her hair is so soft, and you can play with it and braid it and everything. You can have Ribbons if you want her, Daddy.”

“No, that’s okay. God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams.”

Her father brushed her cheek again with a kiss and left the room.

Several days later, when Molly’s father came as usual to read her a story, the little girl was sitting on her bed, her lip trembling.

“Daddy, I do love you. Here.”

Molly held out her small hand. In it was her beloved necklace. She let it slip into her father’s outstretched fingers.

With one hand he held the plastic pearls and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue velvet box. Inside of the box was a string of beautifully matched pearls. Real pearls! He had had them all along! He was waiting for Molly to give up the man-made plastic imitation so he could give her the real thing.

So it is with our Heavenly Father. He is waiting for us to give up the earthly things in our lives so he may give us a beautiful treasure in heaven.