By Ann Farabee

It is the young woman who feels she is invisible?

Valuable.

It is the recovering addict who relapsed – again?

Valuable.

It is one who is grieving the loss of a child?

Valuable.

It is the student who never seems to fit in?

Valuable.

It is the church member who struggles with doubt?

Valuable.

It is the one in pain who cries out daily, “Lord, help me.”?

Valuable.

It is the one in the throes of depression, who wants the sun to shine again?

Valuable.

It is the one who feels they are always in a battle, but rarely see a victory?

Valuable.

It is the elderly — living alone — waiting for a visitor?

It is the unemployed — afraid of losing their home?

It is the child — living in a home filled with anger?

It is the beggar — humbly holding up a sign on the street corner?

It is the liar? ‏The thief? ‏The murderer? ‏The adulterer? ‏The sinner?

All valuable.

These words said to me by an inmate were sobering, “I did a lot of wrong things. I pray. But can I even be forgiven?”

He felt he had no value. No self-worth.

God clears up any doubts about that in the very first chapter of the Bible. ‏Genesis 1:31 says that after He had created man in his own image, he saw every thing he had made and it was very good! Not just good — very good! And, Isaiah 43:4 says we are precious in his sight! That sounds pretty valuable to me!

How could that be, Lord? We have done a lot of wrong things. We pray. But can we even be forgiven? Are we valuable to God, the creator of the universe?

Here’s a $20 bill. It’s for you. Do you want it? ‏I tracked it online to see where it had been — and it has been some horrible places. Places that you would never want to go. Still want it? ‏Oh wow! Look at the date on this $20 bill. It is so old! How could anything that old be valuable? Still want it? I’m sorry. I dropped it. It is so dirty now. Still want it? Hey, I’ll just crumple it up. It is no good now. Still want it? It’s dirty. It’s crumpled. It has been some horrible places. It is surely damaged. It has been through some hard times. Surely, it is of no value. I may as well stomp on it. Do you still want it? Yes.

Is it still valuable? Yes. And we — are valuable — to God.