By Fr Adolf Washington –
In a dream, a man saw himself asking God “What’s the value of life?”
God gave him a stone saying “Go, find-out its’ value. But don’t ever sell it.”
He took it to many people. An orange-seller said “Take twelve oranges and give me the stone.” A vegetable vendor said “Take a full sack of potatoes and give me the stone.” A jeweler said “I’ll give you a hundred million for the stone.” Finally, a merchant dealing in precious stones asked “Where did you get this priceless ruby from? Even in a life-time I won’t be able to purchase this priceless stone”.
The man returned asking God “Lord; now tell me ‘what is the value of life?”
God replied “The responses you got explain the value of our life. You may be a precious stone, even priceless, but people may value you based on their level of information, their belief in you, their motive behind entertaining you, their ambition, and their risk-taking ability”.
God sees beyond human perceptions, valuing you beyond all human measures.
When God sent Samuel to the house of Jesse to anoint a king for Israel, Jesse paraded seven of his sons. About one he thought, ‘Surely this is God’s anointed’ (I Samuel 16:6). But Samuel was reminded by God “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7).
Jesse’s youngest son, David who was tending sheep, was called-in and then anointed King of Judah and later became King of all Israel.
The Psalmist echoes how God perceives, “You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that fully well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16)
God sees beyond what the human eye or mind can. So, count yourself precious, even when others write-you-off.