I'M JUST AN OLD CHUNK OF COAL

I’M JUST AN OLD CHUNK OF COAL…..BUT I’M GONNA ACT LIKE I’M A DIAMOND ANYWAY!

When I was growing up, there was a catchy, uplifting song entitled, “I’m Just an Old Chunk of Coal” which went on to say, “But I’m Gonna be a Diamond Someday.”  Well, we don’t have to wait for that day!  We should act like we are a diamond anyway, every day!

After sixty three years of life, there are days I wake up thinking and acting more like an old chunk of coal….dumpy, frumpy, lumpy, and grumpy!  The dust and grime of life seems to have settled over, hardened, and completely permeated my body, my intellect, my emotions, my energy, and my desires; therefore concealing what should be the diamond-like beauty of God’s likeness shining in me. 

Now by looking at me, with all my lumps and bumps you might truly think that I am just a chunk.  With the visual eye it might appear that way.  The only way that I can possibly make you think of me differently, is to sparkle like a diamond and I don’t mean the way I am dressed!  If I act like a diamond, it might be possible for you to look past this external house of clay and peer into my inner being.  Maybe if I “Let My Little Light Shine,” with the aid of God’s brilliance, you might see the diamond God is working on in this chunk of coal.

My older sister was the beauty and brains of the family.  But this piece of coal was a good basketball player, in fact I was brilliant!   Basketball was the main reason that I went to school!  Due to my Daddy’s lack of desire for me to play basketball, it was also the reason that I had to make straight A’s and take piano lessons.  Now that I am an antique, I can’t play basketball, or the piano, and seldom win at the game of:  “Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader!”

The insertion of the subject of basketball in this coal dialogue will become apparent as this story unfolds.  One year, we had to play a team that was further out in the country and more behind the times than my school was, which gave us a feeling of superiority.  That is, until we realized that they had several advantages.

Even though their basketball court possibly met the size regulations, if you had large feet, which I do, you had to stand with your behind flush to the wall and your feet splayed sideways in order to stay outside the inbound line.   To say the least, that put you off balance and allowed your opponent to be right in your face, making a successful inbound pass even more difficult!

Also, the dressing rooms were under the bleachers which meant while you were changing into your uniforms, you had to remain in a bent position; and they didn’t have indoor plumbing!  So, after a two hour drive to reach their rural location, without the availability of gas stations, you were doubly cautious when dribbling the ball up the court, if you get my drift! 

They also had the added benefit of having an extra guard at the opposite corners of each end of the court.  You got it, coal fed stoves!  The stoves actually sat on the court itself, and they had these things really stoked up.  They were so hot that you didn’t want to get within three feet of them.  Rest assured my team didn’t make any long three point shots from the corners!

Now with all these home court advantages, and the fact that these were some fairly large, raw-boned girls who were comfortable around these hot, fiery, chunky, coal stoves we had our work cut out of us!  After a hard fought battle, which left me with two broken ribs, we ended up being the winner and shone with the brightness of the diamonds we truly believed we were!   Occasionally, when my side hurts, I still have to say a prayer asking God to forgive me for my unkind thoughts about the girl that broke those ribs!

While recounting this story, it is apparent to me, that sometimes I am too comfortable and content just being a lump of coal, I don’t pay enough attention to the game, and lose out.   Especially, without having enough other pieces of coal around to really keep me fired up!

My Mother, who was also my Sunday School teacher, used to tell a story about a man who regularly went to church, but quit going after his wife succumbed to a fatal illness.  One day the preacher went to visit him, and the man was sure that the preacher was there to berate him about his lack of attendance.  So after he invited the preacher in and offered him a seat in front of the fireplace, he didn’t say a word.  Neither did the preacher!  After an hour of silence, the preacher got up, took the fireplace thongs and carefully slid one piece of coal to the hearth away from the others.  In a matter of minutes that piece of coal was extinguished, and then the preacher got up and left.  The man was back in church the next Sunday.

Now, let’s get to the diamond section.  Our local television station has an advertisement for a jewelry store whose jingle is:  “Life’s Too Short For Ordinary Jewelry.”  This is so true!  Our piece of earthly coal can be snuffed out at any time. 

As the old song goes, “Diamonds Are A Girl’s Best Friend,” then let me befriend others and actually shine like God’s brilliant diamond.  Let me protect and store my jewels in heaven and joyfully cast my crowns at Jesus feet!

Dear Lord:

Thank you for the reminding me that, in order to survive, that I need the heat and companionship of other pieces of coal.

Thank you for reminding me that as a Christian, I am not supposed to be content and comfortable as a run of the mill, low grade, cheap, piece of coal.  

Please take this chunk of coal and allow your brilliant presence help me shine like a diamond anyway, every day.

“The best sermons are lived, not preached.”

    Candid Conversations With Carolyn Lee