I was intrigued when I saw the picture of the large rock at the top (which I later discovered was a meteorite) with a mineral referred to as Olivine. I was curious about it and went to Wikipedia for some information and after that found a bracelet for sale on the net. To my surprise, the bracelet cost only a few dollars and in fact Olivine is a quite common mineral. Even though I find it attractive, it is still quite inexpensive. I wonder... what would life be like if Gold and silver were common? Then I went to the book of 1st Kings and read...
Olivine is named for its typically olive-green color (thought to be a result of traces of nickel), though it may alter to a reddish color from the oxidation of iron.
Translucent olivine is sometimes used as a gemstone called peridot (péridot, the French word for olivine). It is also called chrysolite (or chrysolithe, from the Greek words for gold and stone). Wikipedia
Mg-rich olivine has also been discovered in meteorites,[5] the Moon, Mars,[6] in the dust of comet Wild 2, within the core of comet Tempel 1,[7] falling into infant stars,[8] as well as on asteroid 25143 Itokawa.[9] Such meteorites include chondrites, collections of debris from the early solar system, and pallasites,
mixes of iron-nickel and olivine. The spectral signature of olivine has
been seen in the dust disks around young stars. The tails of comets
(which formed from the dust disk around the young Sun)
often have the spectral signature of olivine, and the presence of
olivine has recently been verified in samples of a comet from the Stardust spacecraft.[10] Wikipedia
1 Kings, Chapter 10
14 Now the weight of gold that came to Solomon in one year was six hundred sixty-six talents of gold, 15 besides that which the traders brought, and the traffic of the merchants, and of all the kings of the mixed people, and of the governors of the country. 16 King Solomon made two hundred bucklers of beaten gold; six hundred shekels of gold went to one buckler. 17 he made three hundred shields of beaten gold; three minas of gold went to one shield: and the king put them in the house of the forest of Lebanon. 18 Moreover the king made a great throne of ivory, and overlaid it with the finest gold. 19 There were six steps to the throne, and the top of the throne was round behind; and there were stays on either side by the place of the seat, and two lions standing beside the stays. 20 Twelve lions stood there on the one side and on the other on the six steps: there was nothing like it made in any kingdom. 21 All king Solomon’s drinking vessels were of gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon were of pure gold: none were of silver; it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
Olivine, Gold and Silver all have something in common; they can be formed into something beautiful. That we value them differently is strictly a human designation. If we had an unlimited supply of Gold or Silver, I wonder how much value we would consider them to be? Of far more importance is the value of the life given to us by God. In my youth I didn't think much about living and so lived as though I would live forever. Now, six decades young, I look at things differently and realize that Gold, Silver and yes, even common Olivine may glitter, but the true wealth we posses is experienced on a daily basis... just being alive. You may be rich or poor, but if you are alive, you have a wonderful gift... appreciate it and live to the best of your ability. To me, this means living with God and His word as my constant companion. Your definition is....?????