Just like the thrift store nativity was under-pvalued, so
also many people of Jesus’ day failed to grasp his worth. He was despised and
rejected throughout his ministry. He was seen by many as “just” the carpenter’s
son, from that town of low reputation, Nazareth. How could he possibly be who
he claimed to be? He didn’t look like anything they thought the Messiah would
look. Their preconceived notions prevented them from seeing his true value.
It’s easy to see how we also can lose sight of his value. We
have heard the story so many times that we lose our sense of awe and wonder. Or
maybe we have been through so many hard knocks in life that we become jaded or
cynical.
I think it is also part of human nature to overlook or
underestimate the value of what is right before us. We’ve all heard stories of
discovered treasures of great value, items found in a forgotten corner of the
attic, at yard sales or even in dumpsters. But the person with a trained eye
recognizes its true value and rescues it from the trash heap.
Likewise, we can tend to underestimate the value of the
people around us. I saw this first-hand in the many years I worked with the
homeless and people having disabilities. But it also can apply to the every-day
people in our lives that we have taken for granted. And let’s take it a step
further. We often can be harder on ourselves than anyone else. Maybe we allow
regret or disappointment to hang over our heads for wrong turns, broken
relationships, missed opportunities. After a while, those thoughts can blot out
the reality of our inherent worth.
The remarkable reality that Jesus stooped down from heaven
and took on human form demonstrates his deep desire to connect deeply with
devalued people, the poor and destitute, the lame, the prostitute, the “untouchable”
lepers. Among the men he chose to be his disciples, he picked common fishermen,
and a despised tax collector, being fully aware of their weaknesses and
failures. He saw the inherent value and God-given potential of each one.
I for one have been grateful that He knows the worst about
me but believes the best. He sees past my failures to the potential I have, as
his grace transforms me from the inside out.
As we wind up the infamous year of 2020 with its devastating
global pandemic and widespread political and social upheaval, now more than
ever we need a renewed sense of hope for ourselves and our neighbors near and far.
The gift of knowing that you are deeply loved and greatly
valued by the One who chose to walk among us and give His life for us…priceless!
