LightGrams
June 19, 2025
Volume 29, Number 19
Here’s a tip to file away: If you’re going to lose a diamond from your ring, be sure to make it happen at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Workers there have a track record in finding what’s valuable.
April Schmitt was returning from a business trip this past Friday (Friday the 13th!). As she reached to grab her bag from the baggage carrousel, her finger got jammed between the bag and the conveyor. Driving home later she realized the diamond was missing from the ring her husband gave her in 1992. She rushed back and looked for 90 minutes, but with no luck. During her search she was joined by other staff members of the airport.
About four hours later April received a call that the diamond had been located. The crew had even removed panels from the carrousel to find it. April can’t say enough good things about those men who went out of their way to help a stranger find a lost diamond.
It wasn’t their first successful find. In 2023 they helped Kristen Tunno find the diamond missing from a ring recently given to her by her 99-year-old grandmother. That one was found in the floor of the ladies’ restroom.
We can all agree that diamonds are valuable. But did you realize you have something far more valuable? Jesus declared this truth in Matthew 16:26: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Our souls – the part of us that doesn’t end when physical death occurs – that’s our most valuable possession.
Where can you find help if your soul is lost? Jesus is the answer. In Luke 15:4-7 He spoke about a shepherd who realized one of his sheep was missing, so he went “after the one which is lost until he finds it.” Two other valuable items that were missing were mentioned in that same chapter: a lost coin and a lost son. In each instance, the search was exhaustive until the missing items were found.
The life-changing truth is this: Jesus cares deeply about all who are lost (which really means all of us). He stated it this way in Luke 19:10: “For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” He genuinely means that, for the statement was made after his visit with Zacchaeus, a man despised by his community as “a sinner”.
Regardless of what the world may think of you or me, one thing is certain: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.” Or, if you’d rather have Scripture to make that point, how about John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”
You are valuable to the Lord. He knows how to find that which is lost.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2025, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “Tim@GraceMine.org” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
Permission to reproduce and/or use the messages for noncommercial purposes is freely granted provided the messages are not altered.