"How the gold has lost its luster, the fine gold become dull!" (Lamentations 4:1).

How tragic! "The son said to him, `Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son'" (Luke 15:21). This precious son lost his luster when he went into the far country and squandered his wealth on riotous living. This young boy who once lived with a father who dearly loved him suddenly realized what he had lost when he fed pigs. He had been raised to love and respect his father, but he wanted his independence and his way. He finally lost both. He now wanted his luster--his honor--back.

Our fine gold is tarnished when we use God's invaluable gifts (for they were bought at the highest price) for profane purposes. He graces us with singular talents but, when we don't develop them, we keep ordinary what could have been made extraordinary for Him and others.

God never meant for us to scrape off each other's fine gold with the broken pottery of the world, either, as Job scraped himself among the ashes. Ignoble uses of noble gifts is exactly that. God must cringe at the meanness of so many lives. We become what we behold, and what we are hauling from the base of life reeks to heaven. God never meant for us to reach down and grasp; He wants us to stretch up and claim our share of His promises and blessings.

"I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire" (Revelation 3:18). Both the Ark of Israel and Aaron's calf were made of gold. We can choose the Ark or the calf. "But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold," God's gold, not fool's gold, as was Aaron's calf.