“Who would like this one-hundred dollar bill?” he asked.
Hands shot up all around the room.
Then he crumpled the paper, threw it on the floor and ground the dirt into it with his foot. Holding up the dirty, crumpled and tattered money, he then asked, “Now, who wants this one-hundred dollar bill?”
The same hands went into the air.
“And that is why God still wants you,” he continued. “You may be battered and bruised. You may be tattered and torn. You may be crumpled and creased. But that does not change your value to God any more than what I have done changes the value of this one-hundred dollar bill. You are still precious and valuable to the God who chose you, redeemed you, and loves you as His own.”
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” (2 Corinthians 4:7). In Paul’s day, it was customary to store treasure in clay jars. The common container disguised its contents and didn’t draw attention to the treasure within. You and I might not look like much on the outside. We may appear as common as jars of clay, but inside are hidden incredible treasures. Inside these old cracked pots reside the most incredible treasure of all...Jesus Christ. And that makes us valuable.
This was one of my devotionals today. I'm not surprised though because I spent the evening yesterday with Mike in a small, almost impoverished little town in Kentucky. And God always knows my heart.
Mike worked there for several weeks recently to determine the sources resulting in a huge amount of water loss within their public water system. He had to report those findings at a meeting last night and asked if I'd ride along.
It's a small, peaceful and simple town sitting literally on the banks of the beautiful Ohio River. A town that filled our conversation on the trip back home because we couldn't help but see so much potential. We always think it's easy to look in from the outside - don't we?
Mike came to know several people while there. Working closely with a few. They shared their stories and their take on the town.
There's almost a total lack of employment there, primarily due to the shut-down of a tile manufacturing plant many, many years ago. And with just a handful of the downtown store-fronts being operational, the rest are either boarded up or falling down. According to them the town has suffered the test of time and is slowly but surely losing.
We, like most of you, would quickly say there is nothing there. No grocery. The nearest 'store' is on the outskirts of town and it's a Marathon Gas Station. Well, there's a Dollar General near the Marathon also - a small Dollar General. But that's it.
A 'pizza place' had just opened in one of the store-fronts as Mike was finishing his work there. The sign announced yesterday that they are open on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There are two 'restaurants', which are open and closed on alternate days. They close at 6:00 PM each day.
The Police Dept consists of two men - the chief and a patrolman. The Mayor also works at Walmart - in another town. They have a Fire Dept and a truck, but the nearest doctor or hospital is almost an hour away.
Everyone who has been able to has moved away, including any new graduates, in search of employment. They say their town in 'drying up'.
I left there last night feeling so saddened and helpless for the people of this town.
But then I read this devotion . . .
It reminded me that we are all cracked pots and no matter how 'crumpled' we seem to others or what circumstances we may find ourselves in - we are all chosen and dearly loved children of the King.
From one pot to another ...
Later :)
No comments:
Post a Comment