There is an old rumor, thanks to Superman, that you could apply the right amount of pressure to a lump of coal and it would turn that dusty lump into a sparkling diamond with perfect cut lines and immense value. The problem is that scientifically speaking that’s not exactly how that would work. Turning coal into diamonds isn’t really as plausible as our famed superhero would want us to believe. That said, I think there’s a greater analogy at play here than real coal and diamonds.
Imagine for a moment doing something so awful, so atrocious, so hurtful to someone that you couldn’t even imagine seeing that person face to face. Imagine how you would feel. Consider how worthless you’d feel especially knowing how much that person cared for you and loved you. This is a story that actually is found in the Bible. Oddly enough it’s a story that many of us can relate, whether we want to or not.
The story goes like this. A man named Peter is a good friend with Jesus. He follows him around and mimics his words and actions. Imitation is the greatest form of flattery you know. Well one day Peter decides to punch Jesus in the face by telling everyone he sees that he doesn’t even know Jesus. He denies him. Flat out denies him! After all that Jesus had done for Peter, he just leaves him there with no one to help him.
But fast forward in the story and you see Jesus reach back out to Peter a week or so later. Not only does Jesus not remind Peter of his past denial, but he even gives him a job. Not a crappy job either! It was a good job. A well respected position to be sure. But what’s more is what that job entailed.
You see it was Peter’s mouth that got him in trouble by denying Jesus. And the job that Jesus has for Peter is to use his, yep you guessed it, his mouth to actually defend and speak well of Jesus. This is pretty cool stuff if you think about it.
Jesus in a way was taking the coal of Peter’s denial and lies and turning them into the most amazingly perfect diamond you would ever see. So while the myth of coal to diamonds might be debunked by science, the reality is God can turn the coal of our bad choices into something far greater than diamonds if we just trust him.
