pearls of relationship

 I value my people like pearls.  (If you haven't read what I wrote about pearls, you should stop and read that now.)  And like pearls, people require an investment of time and effort and responsibility.  I don't throw my strands of pearls on the floor to be walked on.  (The Bible talks about throwing pearls before swine.  Jesus was talking about pearls of wisdom, but I think His words apply here too.) I don't toss them in a drawer, lost and forgotten.  I care for them and keep track of them and I wear them often because I love them.  

We are guilty sometimes of choosing our relationships like costume jewelry.  They look good, but they aren't worth much.  There is no substance or value or hardship or time that formed them.  We don't invest time or effort or take responsibility for their care and growth.  They make us feel good and look good but when we are done wearing them we toss them on a table or in a drawer, forgotten until the next time we want their cheap sparkle.  

I want my relationships to adorn my life like my strands of pearls adorn my neck.  I want to invest time into them.  I want to get in the trenches with people when they are going through hard times, and create new pearls of friendship.  And honestly, I want friends who will do the same for me.  I'm seeking and investing in relationships that have substance and will become pearls of great value.