The Crucible of Life

The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but man is tested by the praise he receives (Proverbs 27:21 NIV).

Don’t you love to read Proverbs? I do. The book of Proverbs is a treasure-trove of observations, advice, admonitions, and things that make you go, “Hmm…” Our reading today definitely falls into the “Things that make you go, “Hmm…” category.

First we need a little background. A crucible is a container in which metals like silver are melted down, and the furnace renders solid gold a molten liquid. Both are permanently changed by the heat. So, that brings us to a question: How can praise change a person the way the crucible or the furnace changes silver and gold?

Our hearts deal with praise in two ways. When our hearts are geared toward God, we can accept praise from someone and realize that our gifts and the glory really belong to God. But when our hearts are geared toward the world, praise causes us to become wrapped up in ourselves. It steals any hope of an upward focus and instills the belief that we can handle life on our own apart from God, a misguided notion that Satan has foisted on humanity for eons. Praise to the self-centered heart triggers the most difficult sin to overcome: pride.

The crucible melts the silver and allows the silversmith to shape it into whatever he pleases, but the crucible doesn’t work if the metal isn’t put inside. Satan knows that pride is the one thing that will keep us from submitting to Christ. Offering yourself to Christ means checking your ego at the door, and climbing into the crucible without looking back.

The crucible tests and changes the silver; the furnace tests and changes the gold. For us, the biggest part of the test is whether or not we’ll submit to being changed. Believe me when I say that I personally understand how painful the crucible can be. However, it is the only way to be refined. It is the only way to be better! Make a commitment to trust yourself to the Master Craftsman. He knows exactly what we need and will only do what is best for us. Let Him do His work in you life today!