Emeralds

Today I saw emeralds which are mentioned throughout the bible, for instance as being precious gems for trading, partial adornment of priestly robes and being an integral part of God's Kingdom as described in the Book of Revelation. In the process of being formed over millennia, real emeralds are known for their natural imperfections such as small cracks or microscopic inclusions which are cavities filled with fluid and/or gas. Conversely, synthetic emeralds are not created with faults. A flawed emerald is considered just as beautiful as a flawless diamond. Their authentic and unique inclusions can result in extremely intriguing patterns. When cutting an emerald, as with any previous stone, a jeweller needs to leave the inclusions as they represent the weak spots. Emeralds are more vulnerable to damage than their counterparts, diamonds, rubies and sapphires. Similarly, God sees us as precious and beautiful, treating us tenderly to bring out the best in us, using our faults to best advantage.