Feb. 7, 2005

[Kidan]

Beyond Value

Romans 5:1-11 (NRSV)
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person -- though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.
-John 3:16 (NRSV)

EVERY Christmas a group of women from our church visits a women's correctional facility to distribute gifts and to worship with the inmates. This year I was allowed to accompany two of the visitors to death row. I will never forget seeing the face of one inmate glaring at me through the small opening in her cell door. Her face expressed a cold, hopeless look. Her world consisted of a six-by-nine-foot cell that contained a table, a bunk, and basic sanitary fixtures. Because of a brutal act, she had forfeited everything except the barest essentials, and she would forfeit her life.

Something else caught my eye. A piece of paper was taped to the outside of her door. It read, "Do not throw away." I have no idea what the note referred to, but it made me think about the person inside the cell. People are not a commodity to be kept or thrown away as we choose; they have eternal value.

Because everyone is valuable, God gave Jesus to redeem us from eternal death. Jesus reminded us, in Luke 19:10, that his mission was to seek and to save those who are lost. None of us -- not even the woman in the six-by-nine-foot cell -- can do anything bad enough to deter our Savior from pursuing us and working to save us.
Larry Thomas (Texas, U.S.A.)


Loving God, help us to see all people as you see them. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.