BIMPE AND THE REFINER’S FIRE

Darkness rolled across the sky with his crumbling presence, the light sighs and made way for darkness. The air became frigid as Bimpe kept her gaze on the darkening sky. She averted her gaze and look towards her mother who was busy sewing in her rocking chair as they both sat in the porch facing their quiet street.

"Mum, I want to see Mr. Kendrick next door, I wonder what he is currently working on” Bimpe said, hope evident in her eyes. She wondered what Mr. Kendrick is making in his forge… she could hear the distant bang… bang… bang… coming from his compound, and she was sure her mother could hear it too.

Her mother was quiet for a minute, continuing with her sewing business as if she had not heard her daughter.

Bimpe felt pained at her mother’s blatant refusal, it was just past four in the evening, she rubbed her hands together, then took her coat resting on the chair, and put it on.

“You can go but be back in time for us to head to Church, you know Easter is fast approaching, and the choir leader would not take lateness for granted” Her mother suddenly said, not raising her head from what she was doing but Bimpe could see a smile forming at the corner of her mouth.

“Yes!” Bimpe jumped up, she rushed inside to change into a short dress, Mr. Kendrick always told her to dress light when she is coming to the forge because of the heat.

She rushed back out and hugged her mother before planting a kiss on her head. She had almost reached the gate when she heard her mother shout “Be careful” she waved her hand behind her head without looking back to show her affirmation.

Bimpe knows she is fourteen years old, and should have outgrown some of her childishness, but her attraction and awe always increase when she sees the wonder that stones and metal can be turned into.

She noisily entered Mr. Kendrick’s compound and head towards the back of the house where his forge is located. It is not as if he will hear with all the noise she can hear from outside.

She head to the tool rack beside the door and put one of the headphones around her head, better safe than lose her head to her childish fascination.

Bimpe met him holding something over the fire. He turned sideways to look at who just intruded his sanctuary, Bimpe nodded her head in greetings, he smiled, making his mustache coil, Bimpe almost giggled.

“Mr. Kendrick, What is that?” she asked him “This? It is called silver, I am holding it at the hottest point of the flame to burn off all its impurities” Mr. Kendrick replied.

“Really?” Bimpe marveled, staring at the lump in-between the tong Mr. Kendrick held at a distance.

She wanted to keep staring but her inquisitive nature got the best of her. “Why do you place it at the hottest point of the fire?” Bimpe asked, curiosity clearly evident in her face and posture.

Mr. Kendrick switched the tong to his left hand so that he can give her some of his attention without taking his eyes off the purification process. “Because this is the degree of temperature the silver needs to be subjected to so that the impurities can be removed.” Mr. Kendrick said. 

“Do you know why I keep my gaze fixed on the silver?” Mr. Kendrick asked her.

“Err… because you don’t want to destroy the silver?” Bimpe answered with uncertainty.

“Yes! But that is not all, if I take my eyes off it for a long period of time, I won't know when I can see my image reflected on the silver surface, and if I don’t focus on it, I won’t be ready to remove it from the furnace and if I don’t do that it will get destroyed”

Wow! Bimpe thought, deciding to keep quiet so that Mr. Kendrick can focus on the task at hand…

She moved closer to Mr. Kendrick when she saw him dump the silver lump in a metal container filled to the brim with water.

Mr. Kendrick stripped off his gloves, looked at her before saying "It is refined, ready to be used".

What am I trying to say?

God is refining us, and to remove the impurities in our life, he will put us in the middle of situations that will prune and enlarge our capacity, but only if we stay with Him. 

God is perfection, perfect at all He does, so He will not test us with anything we cannot overcome. He has his eyes focused on us always, ready to lift us to greater heights when the time is right because He has loved us with an everlasting love. His Spirit is always with us to watch our purification process.

But do you know the most beautiful thing about the refiner’s fire? The refiner’s fire is a process. It will refines us until we reflect and mirror Him. Isn't that amazing? I believe it is, what about you?

In God’s Love,

Okunola Peace.