“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT
I still remember the first time I heard a Christian speaker—we’ll call her Sadie—talk about money and how it relates to our worth.
Sadie took a crisp $100 bill and held it up, asking the audience if they wanted it. The audience said yes. Next, she crumpled the bill in her hands and then asked the audience if they still wanted the money. The audience again said yes. She then threw it onto the floor and stomped on it and once more asked the audience if they still wanted the money. Another yes. Reaching down, Sadie picked up the bill and held it up in its battered and barely recognizable state, then once more asked the audience if they still wanted the money. The audience did not change their answer.
Feigning surprise, the speaker asked why. Someone from the audience shared that the beat-up bill was still worth $100 and they could use it. Finally, Sadie explained that, no matter how beaten and bruised we become after going through adversity, we still have great value in God’s eyes. He is still able to use us to accomplish His plans. God knows our worth and, no matter how torn we are, He will always put us back together and restore us. It was a beautiful point that made me think: If the Creator of the Universe knows our worth then why don’t we?
I’ve struggled to know my worth. Life can hit hard as negative words spoken about you or over your life hurt. Painful experiences can make a person question their worth and wonder what God sees in them. We might even doubt that God can use us, but there’s also another way to see it. I’ve heard it said that the devil doesn’t break into empty houses. He doesn’t fight you in your present if there’s not something great God has for you in the future. However, the key is to stay in the fight and make it to the other side with God’s help to be victorious. Often, when life is at peak difficulty, we become depressed and despondent. Sometimes we consider giving up because the days ahead look dark and dismal. We may start to think that the sun will never shine again. But the good news is that there’s always hope when God is in the picture. And, dear friend, God is always in the picture. He’s constantly working everything out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28) and He has good plans in store for your life here on Earth (Jeremiah 29:11).
Just as it’s unlikely that anybody would throw away a crinkled $100 bill, God doesn’t give up on us no matter how battered by life we are. He will never throw you away nor withhold His power to help you. We serve a God who is in the restoration business! He knows that no matter how bad the trials and storms of life become, you still are of great value. God is always there for you, ready to make you into all He’s called you to be.
When we feel downtrodden by the world and life circumstances, we can hold onto hope and invite God into our hearts. Only God can take the broken pieces of our lives and put them back together into something beautiful!
The money lesson point reminds me of “Kintsugi” or “Kintsukuroi”, which is a Japanese art form. According to Google, it means “literally golden (“kin”) and repair (“tsugi”)” and it is “the process of repairing ceramics traditionally with lacquer and gold, leaving a gold seam where the cracks were. The technique consists in joining fragments and giving them a new, more refined aspect.” I’ve heard Christians say that this art form is a prime example of how God turns our broken into beautiful. They also say if God didn’t allow us to be broken then we’d never know what it’s like for His Light to shine through our brokenness and lead others to Him.
God knows our worth. He created us wonderfully as the masterpiece and the apple of His eye. He loves us unconditionally and He’s patient with us. He knows what we need and He’ll always provide for us. God reaches down in our despair, lifts up our faces, and wipes our tears because, to Him, we are still priceless and valued beyond measure. His love for us never changes.
Two songs have encouraged me as I consider my worth in Christ: “The Potter's House” by Tramaine Hawkins and “Broken and Beautiful” by Mark Schultz.
Let’s Pray: Dear God, Thank You for seeing us the way You made us: fearfully, wonderfully, and priceless. Help us to reach up to you when we feel defeated. Teach us how to see ourselves as You see us: Your Masterpiece. Remind us how much You love us, Lord. Help us to never give up but to look up to You and trust that You can turn our broken into beautiful. In Jesus’s Name, I pray. Amen.
Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/Moussa81
Looking for authentic conversations about how to deal with body image, insecurity, and comparison issues as a Christian woman? The Compared to Who? Podcast is the show for you! Twice a week, we tackle tough topics like dieting, disordered eating, weight loss, aging, body dysmorphia, and more from a practical, grace-filled, gospel-centered perspective.
Originally published Thursday, 16 November 2023.
SHARE
