Another forward from an e-friend. I have no clue if is this accurate information on the refining of silver, but I thought it would be a good object lesson and some of you on this forum could appreciate it. If it is not accurate, I am sure I will be readily informed by some of the more knowledgeable members of this forum. Thanks.

B

Subject: MALACHI 3: 3

Malachi 3:3 says: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver."
>
>
> This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they
> wondered what this statement meant about the
> character and nature of God.
>
> One of the women offered to find out the process of refining
> silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.
>
> That week, the woman called a silversmith
> and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't
> mention anything about the reason for her interest
> beyond her curiosity about the process of refining silver.
>
> As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of
> silver over the fire and let it heat up.
> He explained that in refining silver, one needed to
> hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the
> flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.
>
> The woman thought about God holding us in such
> a hot spot then she thought again about the verse that
> says: "He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver."
>
> She asked the silversmith if it was true
> that he had to sit there in front of the fire the
> whole time the silver was being refined.
>
> The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there
> holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on
> the silver the entire time it was in the fire.
> If the silver was left a moment too long in
> the flames, it would be destroyed.
>
> The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the
> silversmith, "How do you know when the silver is fully
> refined?" He smiled at her and answered,
> "Oh, that's easy - when I see my image in it."
>
> If today you are feeling the heat of the fire,
> remember that God has His eye on you and will keep
> watching you until He sees His image in you.
>
> Pass this on to everyone you know. Right now, this
> very moment, someone needs to know that God is
> watching over them. And, whatever they're
> going through, they'll be a better person in the end.
>
> "Life is a coin. You can spend it any way you wish,
> but you can only spend it once."
>