People

 

Almost all of us are surrounded by people: neighbors, family members, coworkers, fellow shoppers, friends, and so on. These people come in various shapes, sizes, ages, personalities, and degrees of intelligence, and in both sexes. Some are “nice” or “good” or “kind” or “sweet” … and some are not.

 

One thing all these people have in common is the blood running through their veins (Acts 17:26). It is amazing how some individuals—and this is not limited to any one race or nationality of people—reach the conclusion that people like them are better than people unlike them, when in fact we are really all the same under the skin.

 

Another thing all these people have in common is the same value in God’s sight. Remember these words from the song you might have learned as a child, Jesus Loves Me: “Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight”? These words simply restate the thought of biblical passages such as Acts 10:34-35: “Then Peter opened his mouth and said: ‘In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him.’”

 

What value did God place on each of us? How precious are we? Well, He considered us worth the sacrifice of His only and perfect Son. Most likely you have heard or read John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

 

Do you see people’s value—your own and everyone else’s, too—as God sees it?

 

Michael Hurst