By Rick Moore
Leadville, Colorado, is known for the Silver Dollar Saloon, Doc Holiday, Jessie James, and the unsinkable Molly Brown. It all began in 1860 when Abe Lee discovered gold in the Rocky Mountains. Over a thousand miners set up camp in the surrounding area, hoping to strike it rich as well. Five years later, most of the gold was depleted. The camps dwindled down to only a few hundred men. It seemed the only thing left in town was the mounds of lead ore extracted from the mines that were tossed aside and considered worthless. Then, a few years later, it became clear there was a fortune in those lead ore mounds due to the amount of silver they contained. That “black sand” as it was called, contained 40 ounces of silver per ton. In two years time, the town became known for its silver mining, the population grew from a few hundred to 30,000, and many in the community became very wealthy. The town had no more gold, but there was definitely a “silver lining” to their story.
Just outside of Orlando, Florida, in a city named Winter Park, there is an affluent area known as The Vias. Because the area had an excellent public education system, my wife and I wanted to live there so our boys could attend school in that district. We certainly could not afford to purchase a home in The Vias, as most of them cost millions of dollars. However, one of my boys told us about a home for rent in The Vias, and we were shocked to discover it was within our budget. The house was located on a canal that was part of the chain of lakes connecting Maitland to Winter Park. When we went to check it out, we looked at each other and asked, “Where is the house?” It appeared there was only a two-car garage on the property. Come to find out, what looked like a garage was the house. Developers were purchasing old properties in the area, tearing down the dilapidated structures and building mansions. This particular lot had yet to be cleared. We decided to rent the property and make it an adventure.
At first I was paranoid about meeting others who lived nearby. They lived in mansions, and we lived in what looked to be a garage. The first week we moved in, my youngest son made brownies for our neighbors and insisted we introduce ourselves to them. There was no “Big I – Little U” attitude from anyone. We were welcomed into the community with open arms. The next morning, as I looked out our kitchen window toward one of the perfectly manicured estates, I pondered what it would be like to live in such an edifice. Then, I went to our sliding glass door and looked across the canal to another incredible home and contemplated what it would be like to live in that luxurious property. Suddenly, it dawned on me; I had the best view in the entire neighborhood. They had to look out of their windows and see a run-down house that looked like a garage, and I got to look out of my windows and see mansions! At that moment, I truly understood what it is like to have a silver lining.
The phrase “silver lining” is from a poem by John Milton in 1634: “Was I deceived, or did a sable cloud turn forth her silver lining on the night?” This expression was used to represent hope and the hidden benefits in negative situations. There is a bible verse that is somewhat similar. Romans 8:28 says, “All things work together for the good to those who love Him…” It can be hard to find the good in tough times. Just keep looking.
Rick Moore is Communication Pastor at Destiny Worship Center
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