Related commentaries – Sympathy

Jerusalem’s Plea For Mercy – Lamentations 1:12 – 1:22

The Sympathetic Jewel

A gentleman once visited a great jewelry store, owned by a friend. In looking at the stones he pointed to one, and said: “That has no beauty at all.” But his friend put it in the hollow of his hand, and shut his hand, and then in a few moments opened it again. What a surprise! The entire stone gleamed with all the splendors of the rainbow. “What have you done to it?” asked the astonished gazer. His friend answered: “This is an opal. It is what we call the sympathetic jewel. It only needs to be gripped with a hand to bring out its beauty.” (Encyclopedia of Illustrations #6335).