Garnet, Grain, and Light

Welcome to the 2010 edition of JG&J. If you're a regular reader you've figured out that I post on the 1st and the 15th of each month. If you're not a regular, now you know the plan too. I covet your comments and thoughts and hope you choose to follow along as together we learn more about jewelry, gems, and Jesus.

Garnet, Grain, and Light

Garnet is the birthstone for the month of January. Most folks think of garnet as a dark red stone with some hint of brown hue. Fact is garnet comes in every hue of color except blue, and can also display characteristics like asterism (stars) and even color change between certain lights. Garnets are quite sturdy and resistant to everyday wear and tear, and uncomplicated to work into jewelry. Another point in favor of garnets is their high refraction of light, the reason for the amazing brilliance of garnets. The shape of the rough crystal is also interesting. Garnet, after all, means something like "the grainy” and is derived from the Latin word "granum” meaning "grain”. This refers to the typically rounded shape of garnet and also reminds of the seeds of the pomegranate.

Garnets are found in jewelry from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman eras. Many courageous discoverers and travelers wore garnets for protection, as they were considered popular talismans and protective stones, because it was believed in those days that garnets illuminate the night and prevent their wearer from any sort of evil. Today science explains to us that the proverbial luminosity of garnet is caused by its high refraction of light.

When I consider these characteristics of garnet, they remind me of things Jesus taught about grain and light. In Mark 4:14-21 NIV Jesus tells the parable of the how the Gospel is spread like grain seed. Verses 14-20 reveal how the farmer (that's all us Christians) sows the Word (Gospel, seed). Sometimes the (Gospel) seed finds soil that is rocky or thorny and does not grow to make grain. Sometimes the (Gospel) seed finds good soil, takes root and produces a bumper crop. Verse 21 reveals that when we receive a lamp (light) that we shouldn't hide it away only for our personal benefit, but that we put that light on a stand so that others may be illuminated. These verses are simply saying to us: Go, Tell, and Teach (Matthew 28:19-20)NIV; Share with others what has been freely given to me and you...the Grace and Salvation of Jesus Christ.
Garnet, whose name means "grain" and has a wonderful ability to greatly spread (refract) light should serve as a reminder to to all who claim the name of Christ to spread the Word, and to shine the Light.

NEXT POST: **The Gems of Exodus and Revelation - Jasper

**The Gems of Exodus and Revelation will be presented in twelve monthly installments and will explore the similarities between the stones in the ephod (breastplate) of Aaron and the stones of the New Jerusalem, and their relation to Jesus.