Queen Victoria once paid a visit to a paper mill. Without knowing who this distinguished
visitor was, the foreman showed her the workings of the mill. She went into the rag-sorting
shop where employess picked out the rags from the refuse of the city. Upon inquiring what
was done with this dirty mass of rags, she was told that it would eventually make the finest
white writing paper. After her departure, the foreman found out who it was that had paid the
visit.
Some time later, Her Majesty received a package of the most delicate, pure white stationery,
bearing the Queen's likeness for a watermark. Enclosed was a note saying that the stationery
had been made from the dirty rags she had recently inspected.
This story illustrates Christ's work in us, as well, He takes us, filthy as we are, and makes
us into new creatures. After receiving Jesus, we are as spiritually different from what we
were before, as pure white paper is from the filthy rags from which it is made.
