What is a Rare Rock?
- the intentional formation of beautiful souls -
I was eating a greasy appetizer in a smoke filled coffee shop when I first heard the title Rare Rocks. My friend Mike applied the title to my best friend and me in the middle of our late night conversation. Rare Rocks was Mike’s paraphrase of the Scripture where Peter refers to believers as “living stones” who are “being built into a spiritual house” (I Peter 2:4). I’ve never forgotten that phrase (or Mike for speaking it over my life). I think these “living stones” can be compared to the poetic imagery of precious gems in the Book of Revelation. The beloved apostle John writes about the Heavenly City being made of clear, beautiful stones (chapter 21) – emerald, ruby, turquoise, sapphire, etc. I like to imagine that the building of living stones Peter envisioned was also a shimmering tower of beauty – not just a foreboding pile of dull bricks!
In real life a precious stone has three distinguishing characteristics: 1) it is strong, 2) it is beautiful, and 3) it is rare. Men and women who live authentic lives of transforming faith would fit into each of these categories. What separates a plain rock from a precious stone – besides the natural mineral content of the rock – is a process of refinement. Gems are rough stones that have submitted to cutting, polishing, and displaying, accentuating their natural created beauty (see here also). We do the same when we embrace an intentional process of spiritual growth in our daily lives. We can be intentional in our pursuit of becoming Rare Rocks!
This blog is full of my musings on what it means to be a Rare Rock. It also includes my experiences with Rare Rocks that I know or read about or meet. I guess it goes without saying that Rare Rocks stand out a little in a crowd: they shine a little brighter, work a little harder, and love a little deeper. If that sounds like you, you might be a Rare Rock!
“The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone….”
Revelation 21:19-21
“And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”
I Peter 2:5
