Every once in a while we humans seem to get some things about our Christianity backwards. Or maybe it�s not so much those of us in the church, but perhaps the image we project & that is perceived by folks outside the church that gets distorted. Lots of people seem to have the notion that a person has to be at least good, if not perfect to be loved and valued by God. When circumstances in their lives or choices they make prove that they are not perfect, or perhaps just not very good, some people feel unworthy of God�s love; they think they need to �clean up their act� before they can come to church, before God will love and accept them. |
| North Kent Presbyterian Church |
I like the following story that came across my desk. It's called, Valued, No Matter What A speaker began his seminar by holding up a $20 bill. He asked the group, "Who would like this $20?" Most hands went up. He said, "I'll give this $20 to one of you, but first let me do this." He crumpled up the $20 bill then asked, "Who still wants it?" Most hands were raised again. "Well," he continued, "what if I do this?" He dropped it and ground it into the floor with his shoe. He picked up the crumpled and dirty bill. "Now who still wants it?" Again the hands went into the air. |
"My friends, you have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it didn't decrease in value. It was still worth $20. "Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we're worthless. "But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value in God's eyes. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to Him. Psalm 17:8 states that God will keep us 'as the apple of [His] eye.'" Let us live what we believe, that in Jesus Christ we are forgiven. See you in church! Rev. Helen |
| A dirty dollar bill.. |