Ashley turned the beautiful stone over and over again in her
hand. “Are you really giving this to me ?” she whispered in
awe and wonder. The thought that her father was giving her
this priceless diamond seemed almost too much to
comprehend.
“Yes, my darling daughter, I am giving you that diamond.
Love and cherish it, and keep it ever in your thoughts.”
Ashley threw her arms around her father’s neck. How she
loved him! She couldn’t imagine life without his love.
For the first several months after Ashley’s father gave her
the diamond, she guarded the diamond as she would her
own life. She spent hours gazing upon it, then went and told
everyone she knew about her father’s marvelous love. Her
heart of gratitude showed in everything she did. She was
kind and loving toward others because her thoughts were
focused on her father’s kindness to her. She was always
eager to serve and praise her father because her thoughts
were completely consumed with him.
I’d like to stop here and say that Ashley faithfully treasured
her diamond for the rest of her life and continually lived in
the same joy she had those firs few weeks. But I’m afraid
that would not be true. Ever so gradually, Ashley began to
become accustomed to the diamond she’d been given.
Although the diamond itself never diminished in value one
bit, she stopped thinking of it as much throughout her day.
While she was still kind toward others and told others of her
father’s love, she did so more from habit and duty than from
gratitude and joy. Her words sounded like hollow
recitations instead of heartfelt realities.
“Ashley, can I talk with you?” Ashley’s friend Eliza asked
one afternoon.
“Of course,” Ashley replied, wondering what Eliza could
want.
“The diamond your father gave you—can you describe it to
me? And can you tell me what that diamond means to you?”
“Why, of course I can,” Ashley replied. She stumbled
through a description that sounded strangely vague even to
her.
Ashley’s encounter with Eliza awakened Ashley’s sleeping
conscience. I have forgotten to gaze upon the diamond my
father gave me! I’ve forgotten to let it bring me joy.
Saddened at her folly, Ashley slowly walked upstairs and
knocked on her father’s study. One look at her father’s face
showed Ashley that he already knew how she had neglected
his treasure.
“Come, my dear, let’s go look at the diamond again
together,” he said as he gently wiped her tears.
With that, Ashley’s father led her to the special case in
which she kept her diamond. Ashley broke into a fresh set
of tears when she saw the diamond. She had forgotten how
beautifully it glittered and glistened! Her heart felt
overwhelmed once again by the incredible gift that her
father had given her.
“Oh, Father, please help me to never forget!” she whispered,
looking up in love and admiration into her father’s face.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a
field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for
joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth
that field.” Matthew 13:44
hand. “Are you really giving this to me ?” she whispered in
awe and wonder. The thought that her father was giving her
this priceless diamond seemed almost too much to
comprehend.
“Yes, my darling daughter, I am giving you that diamond.
Love and cherish it, and keep it ever in your thoughts.”
Ashley threw her arms around her father’s neck. How she
loved him! She couldn’t imagine life without his love.
For the first several months after Ashley’s father gave her
the diamond, she guarded the diamond as she would her
own life. She spent hours gazing upon it, then went and told
everyone she knew about her father’s marvelous love. Her
heart of gratitude showed in everything she did. She was
kind and loving toward others because her thoughts were
focused on her father’s kindness to her. She was always
eager to serve and praise her father because her thoughts
were completely consumed with him.
I’d like to stop here and say that Ashley faithfully treasured
her diamond for the rest of her life and continually lived in
the same joy she had those firs few weeks. But I’m afraid
that would not be true. Ever so gradually, Ashley began to
become accustomed to the diamond she’d been given.
Although the diamond itself never diminished in value one
bit, she stopped thinking of it as much throughout her day.
While she was still kind toward others and told others of her
father’s love, she did so more from habit and duty than from
gratitude and joy. Her words sounded like hollow
recitations instead of heartfelt realities.
“Ashley, can I talk with you?” Ashley’s friend Eliza asked
one afternoon.
“Of course,” Ashley replied, wondering what Eliza could
want.
“The diamond your father gave you—can you describe it to
me? And can you tell me what that diamond means to you?”
“Why, of course I can,” Ashley replied. She stumbled
through a description that sounded strangely vague even to
her.
Ashley’s encounter with Eliza awakened Ashley’s sleeping
conscience. I have forgotten to gaze upon the diamond my
father gave me! I’ve forgotten to let it bring me joy.
Saddened at her folly, Ashley slowly walked upstairs and
knocked on her father’s study. One look at her father’s face
showed Ashley that he already knew how she had neglected
his treasure.
“Come, my dear, let’s go look at the diamond again
together,” he said as he gently wiped her tears.
With that, Ashley’s father led her to the special case in
which she kept her diamond. Ashley broke into a fresh set
of tears when she saw the diamond. She had forgotten how
beautifully it glittered and glistened! Her heart felt
overwhelmed once again by the incredible gift that her
father had given her.
“Oh, Father, please help me to never forget!” she whispered,
looking up in love and admiration into her father’s face.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a
field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for
joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth
that field.” Matthew 13:44
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