「祂…使我成為磨亮的箭，將我藏在祂箭袋之中。」－以賽亞書49:2
日日夜夜，一線線白長的海浪前仆後繼地向著海灘上的石子嘶吼咆哮，對他們無情的衝撞拍打、捲起投下、拋擲丟擊，使他們在尖銳的峭壁上載浮載沉，從來沒有止息的一天。
這樣夜以繼晝，受折磨的結果是什麼呢？
世界各地的遊客蜂擁而至，只為了撿拾這種圓滑美麗的石子。而如今，這些石子陳列在人們的家中，展現在他們的櫥架和壁爐上。
你若願意來到海浪無法波及的峭壁附近，或走到風雨無法侵蝕的加州沿岸，你會發現，海灘上佈滿了遊客所看不上眼的石子。
為什麼沒有人願意蒐集這些石子呢？
答案很簡單，因為他們僥倖逃過了浪花的沖刷；平靜安逸的生活使他們始終如一，仍是原來粗糙、稜稜角角、平淡無奇的模樣。
於是我們明白，光澤是磨難出來的。
神自然知道我們該成為何種器皿，有何種的用途；我們該付的責任，則是儘管放手讓祂甄陶，使祂能成全、預備我們，使我們成為祂手中貴重的器皿。
"He hath made me a polished shaft" (Isa. 49:2).There is a very famous "Pebble Beach" at Pescadero, on the California coast. The long line of white surf comes up with its everlasting roar, and rattles and thunders among the stones on the shore. They are caught in the arms of the pitiless waves, and tossed and rolled, and rubbed together, and ground against the sharp-grained cliffs. Day and night forever the ceaseless attrition goes on--never any rest. And the result?
Tourists from all the world flock thither to gather the round and beautiful stones. They are laid up in cabinets; they ornament the parlor mantels. But go yonder, around the point of the cliff that breaks off the force of the sea; and up in that quiet cove, sheltered from the storms, and lying ever in the sun, you shall find abundance of pebbles that have never been chosen by the traveler.
Why are these left all the years through unsought? For the simple reason that they have escaped all the turmoil and attrition of the waves, and the quiet and peace have left them as they found them, rough and angular and devoid of beauty. Polish comes through trouble.
Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. Since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to drill us to the proper preparation.
