The Yellow Stone

One day he found a yellow stone
His luck was down, he lived alone
And as he walked that day he spied
A glittering object along the side
Of a path he trudged ‘most every day
As he begrudged life’s cruel pay

He placed this nugget by the door
So it wouldn’t blow shut in the wind anymore
But oft he would curse and oft he would swear
Forgetting in his rush that the stone was there
As he stubbed his toe for the ump-teenth time
And cursed the stone with the golden shine

This man grew old and then one day
The news was told, he had passed away
The neighbors gathered to disperse the wares
Of the poor lonely man who lived upstairs
Not much of value they sadly said
As they paid their dues and shook their heads

But as they were leaving someone spied the stone
Took note of its gleaming, how golden it shone
Quickly he rushed to get it appraised
Skillful hands brushed as they stood there amazed
For year after year this man poor and old
Had cursed at his door a stone of pure gold

Surely this story could never be true
I’m sorry; but this old man is me and you
If we have not come to realize
The treasure that gleams before our eyes
For God’s love is greater, more priceless by far
Than the golden nugget at the old man’s door

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

...so that your faith
of greater worth than gold
which perishes even though refined by fire,
may be proved genuine and may result
in praise, glory and honor when
Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Pet.1:7