A natural pearl begins its life inside an oyster's shell when an intruder, such as a grain of sand or bit of floating food, slips in between one of the two shells of the oyster, a type of mollusk, and the protective layer that covers the mollusk's organs, called the mantle.

In order to protect itself from irritation, the oyster will quickly begin covering the uninvited visitor with layers of nacre — the mineral substance that fashions the mollusk's shells. Layer upon layer of nacre, also known as mother-of-pearl, coat the grain of sand until the iridescent gem is formed.

Reference:How Do Oysters Make Pearls? - LiveScience

www.livescience.com/32289-how-do-oysters-make-pearls.html

Whether it is a natural or manmade pearl, the outcome is the same, albeit the value may be different, but the result is a beautiful polished gem.

Pearls are fascinating. How can a slimy oyster produce something of such exquisite beauty?

Pearls can be found in freshwater or in saltwater, they come in a plethora shapes and colors: white, creamy, red, black, yellow, blue, pink, chocolate and even green.

A strand of cultured freshwater pearls aka manmade or farmed pearls generally sells for $50 to $2,000 while a strand of cultured south sea pearls can range from $1,000 up to $100,000.

Compare to a wild pearl where each pearl can be valued from $300 to $1,500.

FAQ: the most valuable pearl found to date by a Filipino fisherman: 26” inches in size and valued at $100 million dollars.

I was annoyed with God for a long time when He told me that someone close to me was a “pearl”. I resented the fact that I got to be the slimy oyster and I, me, had to keep pouring beauty on this annoying irritant. Plainly speaking, if I got irritated or hurt, I had to react in such a way that the outcome was love, peace, compassion and forgiveness. Oh, I was royally unhappy, I mean how unfair is that? This irritant got more beautiful and I was still a mollusk.

I was concerned over “me”. My pride was hurt, my self-image was crushed and for the life of me I could not fathom why the “irritant” gets such a great outcome!

Finally, and I am sorry to say, it was many years later (slow learner), I finally realized that God calls all of us “pearls”.

We can sure be irritating to Him and it is His nature to continually extend grace, kindness and love over us. As He keeps pouring our His love, showing us kindness, we keep getting covered in this wonderful glow of love. Love wraps over us enveloping us much like a blanket when we are cold, we snuggle in harder. We are objects of beauty and great worth in His sight, exactly like a precious gem, beyond value – priceless.

Mother of pearl is such an exquisite substance, the radiance and glow, the colors, each shell, each pearl is different, all precious and all beautiful, perhaps a perfect analogy for people. Each person no matter color, shape, size is precious to God. The closer we get to God the more radiance and glow from Him reflects off of us, much like a precious gem. Diamonds do not have “sparkle” in them, it is only when the light reflects off of it that is “sparkles”.

When we reflect the light of God off of us in our lives, the result is absolutely stunning.