I once saw a speaker do an object lesson I’ll never forget. He brought up a volunteer from the audience and showed him a $20 bill. It was crisp and new. He asked the volunteer if he wanted it. Of course, the man said, “Sure!” The speaker then took that $20 bill, crumpled it up into a ball, threw on the floor and stepped on it. When he was finished abusing the $20 bill, he picked it up and showed it to the volunteer again. Needless to say, it was no longer pristine; it was wrinkled and dirty. Then the speaker said to the volunteer, “Do you still want it?” And, once again, the man said, “Sure!”
The true value of the $20 bill was in no way diminished by the speaker’s abuse. Its value was given to it the moment it was created.
The speaker’s point was that, as God’s children, we have great value. Even when we go through difficulties and come out feeling dirty and wrinkled like that $20 bill – our value hasn’t changed. God created us and loves us more than we can ever know.
Next time you are feeling “worse for wear,” remember your value to God!