From carbon to diamond

Colossians 3:5-11 (NLT)
5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. 6 Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. 7 You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. 8 But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. 9 Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. 10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him. 11 In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.


In these verses the apostle is encouraging those who believe in Christ to put aside the old habits of sin, which our flesh is naturally drawn towards, and instead renew our lives and learn how to live as God created us to live. While some hold onto religious rituals to help secure their faith that is not what is important; Christ is all that really matters for he lives in all of us who believe.


Carbon is a nonmetallic element found usually in coal, petroleum and asphalt. Other variations of carbon include carbon black, lampblack, activated carbon, and charcoal. For the most part these items are not clean or pleasant to deal with. Yet carbon can be transformed into something wonderful. When placed in the proper environment to change it becomes a beautiful and shining diamond. When our lives are given to Christ and we are placed in Him and Him in us our lives are transformed. We are no longer that dirty sinful person, but we because a beautiful diamond reflecting the love of Jesus. We still have the nature of sin in us just as a diamond still has carbon in it; but we have been changed where we no longer have to feel like a dirty sinful person. So remember your beauty in Christ and let Him always shine in your life.