In the mid-twentieth century, in Bangkok, Thailand, the government wanted to build a large highway through a village. In the path of the planned road was a Buddhist monastery with a little chapel, so they had to relocate the monastery—including a heavy, eleven-foot clay statue of Buddha—to another place. When the workers transported the statue of Buddha to the new location and began to lower it into place, unexpectedly, the clay on the statue started to crumble and fall off. The people were afraid because this was a precious religious symbol to them, and they didn’t want it to be destroyed.
Suddenly, the workers stared in amazement because, as the clay fell away, they saw that the statue was pure gold underneath! Before the statue was moved, people thought it was worth about fifty thousand dollars. Today, that golden Buddha is worth millions and, because of the story behind it, is visited by hundreds of thousands of people every year.
This story illustrates that what we can see is not necessarily what really is. I believe that many of us are living as clay vessels when, in reality, we are pure gold inside. This gold is the dreams we have—or once had—for our lives that are not yet reality, the God-given gifts and talents that we have not yet developed, the purpose for our lives that is not yet fulfilled. How do you remove the clay and uncover the gold within you? Your dreams, talents, and desires can be refined in a process of discovering and fulfilling your life’s vision so that the pure gold of your unique and personal gifts to this world can truly shine forth.
#ALIFEBEYONDTHEORDINARY
IT IS WELL
