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As you say, only a few people are righteous, but there are large numbers of wicked people. But listen:
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If you had only a few precious stones, would you add lumps of lead and clay to them in order to have more?"
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"Surely no one would do that, sir," I answered.
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"Take another illustration," he continued. "The earth itself will give you an answer if you humbly ask it
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whether it produces more gold, silver, copper, iron, lead, or clay.
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There is more silver than gold, more copper than silver, more iron than copper, more lead than iron, and more clay than lead.
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So judge for yourself which are more desirable and valuable, common things or rare things."
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I answered, "Lord and master, the common things are cheap; it is the rare things that are valuable."
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"All right," he replied, "so draw the logical conclusion: the person who has what is scarce has more reason to be pleased than the person who has what is plentiful.
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It's the same with the judgment that I have promised: I will be pleased with the few who will be saved, because they are the ones who now praise and honor me and make my name known.
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I will not be sad about the large number of people who will be lost, because even now they last no longer than a vapor; they disappear like fire and smoke; they catch fire, blaze up, and quickly go out."