You Are Valuable to God
I heard an illustration recently from a pastor that reminds us of how valuable we are to God regardless of what we have done, or how much we have messed up our life, or what we think of ourselves, or what other people say about us. The pastor pulled out a crisp new $50 bill and said, “how much is this bill worth?” “It is worth $50.” “But what happens if I get it all dirty, and what happens if I crumple it all up so that it looks shabby? Now, what is it worth?” “It’s still worth $50 because that is its intrinsic value according to the U.S. government regardless of how it looks, or what shape it is in.”
Of course, we are much more valuable than a $50 bill to God. We have intrinsic, incalculable worth because we were made by God in God’s own image (Gen. 1:27). We were designed, formed, and shaped by God in our mother’s womb to be exactly who we are (Ps. 139:13-15). And out of his love for us, God sent his one and only Son to save us from our sin (John 3:16), and he welcomes us into his eternal family when we trust in Jesus by faith (Romans 5:8). Regardless of what happens to us (sin), or what we do, or what we or, others think about us, the truth is that even at our worst, we are still of infinite value to God, and we are loved by him. And when we come to him as we are, open the door of our heart to Jesus (Rev. 3:20) he comes into our life, cleans us up (I.e. forgives our sin), and makes us new (2 Cor. 5:17). He even puts his Spirit within us, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Acts 2:38; Rom. 8:11).
Question: when you consider your worth, or value, what voices are you listening to the most? Your own? Others? Or God’s?