In the year that I worked as a pawnbroker, I only took in, as far as I know, one piece of fake jewelry. An interesting part of the experience of standing behind the Pawn Shop counter is learning that people come in with the intention of swindling you. People often hope to get as much money as they can for something a) they are not coming back for, b) they stole and shouldn’t be selling or c) isn’t what they say it is.
They stand in front of you and lie and, teary-eyed or confident, they’re convincing.
A girl stood on the other side of my counter one day with a gold chain. It should’ve clicked when she seemed surprised at the amount I offered her for it. I did a quick scratch test to see if it was real, but it can be difficult to tell if things are gold plated. My inexperience made me an easy target, and
I gave the girl $100 for a necklace that wasn’t worth ten.
At closing time, my boss checked through the jewelry that had been pawned. As soon as he got hold of this necklace, he knew it was fake, and he called me into his office to express his displeasure.
Remembering that experience years later, I’m reminded that we all have an enemy trying to get one past us, day after day.
We have an enemy who wants to pawn off untruths as the truth. Who wants us to wear fake gold chains of works-earned salvation, chains of believing we’re not as loved as we are by God or people, or that we’re just not good enough to receive God’s amazing grace.
And like the gold-plated chain that sat on my scale that day, there are sometimes elements of truth in the things that the enemy tells us, which make the lies even more convincing. It’s true that we’re undeserving of the grace of God. We are undeserving of the forgiveness Jesus bought for us. But that is precisely why it’s amazing, and why it’s Grace.
Through many means — magazine covers, TV and commercials, misunderstood words from friends, even Facebook photo albums — our enemy is trying to sell us gold-plated falsehood. You need more to be happy. The way that you look isn’t good enough. If you can dress more like this, cut your hair like that, you might be good enough to be loved. Everyone else is managing parenthood better than you.
Between the lines, I realize I’m constantly letting untruths get past my counter. I pay for them, and they sit in my storeroom, taking up space and telling me what to believe.
What surprised me the most about buying that gold chain wasn’t that I was fooled. It was how quickly my boss was able to recognise a fake. As soon as it touched his hands and he felt the weight of it, he knew it wasn’t the real thing.
What was the difference between us?
He’d spent enough time with the real thing. He was so well acquainted with the truth, he was immediately able to recognise falsehood, before it crossed his counter.
My golden mistake taught me this: To live a life where I’m not allowing untruths to guide my daily walk, I need to get better acquainted with the real thing. I need to walk with Truth, to hold it in my hands and hide it in my heart.
Knowing the Truth will save you from buying the world’s fake gold chains.
By Caroline Collie, From Africa, With Love
Leave a Comment
Miel Abeille says
Only one fake gold chain? I’ve bought so much fake gold, when I see the real thing, I confuse the two. Live & learn & hope that someone teaches me how to recognize the difference.
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Too funny! Glad we’ve gotten connected today! (Thanks for visiting my blog!)
I Once Bought a Fake Gold Chain says
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Laura Anne says
Too true my friend.
Lovely to see you on here!!
Amanda says
YEA! Great post, friend! 🙂
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Thanks! {No baby yet!} xoxo
Stacey says
Great lesson Caroline for all of us. Love when real life collides with a truth that digs deep into our life!
Praying for you to have more time today with The Real Thing!
Blessings!
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Thanks so much Stacey! It is pretty amazing what God can use to teach us truth if we’ve got our eyes open! 🙂
Renea Gill says
Straight up truth my friend…may we buy the truth and sell it not. Prov 23:23
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
What a good word, Renea! Indeed, indeed!
Holley Gerth says
Thanks for reminding us all to keep it real, girl! I’m so glad you shared your story here with us today. It’s well-writen and insightful.
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Thanks so much! It’s a pleasure to get to share here! 🙂
Beth Williams says
Amen sister!!! Yes, the devil tries to pull fast ones on us, and sometimes he succeeds.
The more time we spend with & in the truth of God’s word the more we will be able to spot & stop His lies!
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Amen and amen again!
Natasha says
A really great post, Caroline.
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Thanks, Natasha! 🙂
Lynn says
Fake gold in Facebook albums – I love it! I’ve often wondered if anyone besides me looks at friends’ photos and second guesses herself 🙂
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
You are absolutely not alone, Lynn! We are constant comparers by nature, I think!
Living the Balanced Life says
I know you were hoping for the spiritual aspect of this story and was awesome. However, hubby is hooked on a TV show called Pawn Stars, about a family owned pawn shop on the strip in Vegas and it is hilarious! When I read the part about your boss showing his displeasure, all I could think of is Pops yelling at Jr on the show, lol!
Bernice
The world really IS at our fingertips!
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Bernice, that is so funny — I just discovered Pawn Stars the last time I was home and I LOVE it!! I wish I could watch it here. They almost totally show it how it is! And my Pawn Shop’s version of Pops did do a little voice-raising, for sure!
Laura@Life Overseas says
Caroline- Loved reading this and loved reading your story about being a pawn broker. What a cool part of your Story– and I love how you are seeing Truth in the middle of daily life and experience. Beautiful.
Caroline@CarolineCollie says
Thanks so much, Laura! It was definitely a season in the fire with some serious character-building time on the schedule! Now that it’s done, I miss it a little! 🙂 God is so good to help us see His Truth everywhere, isn’t He?