God Sees Our Value
The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were intrigued by Jesus' teaching; they were always nearby to hear Him and watch Him - and criticize Him. The Pharisees went to great lengths to be ceremonially clean, which they believed made them righteous in God's sight. Jesus' great concern, however, was offering salvation to sinners.
Jesus told three parables to correct the Pharisees misconception about God. These parables show that God loves all people and wants everyone - especially sinners - to com to Him. God doesn't play favorites, and He rejoices when anyone turns to Him.
Theresa Briones is a tender, loving mother. She also has a stout left hook that she used to punch a lady in a coin laundry. Why'd she do it?
Some kids were making fun of Theresa's daughter, Alicia.
Alicia is bald. Her knees are arthritic. Her nose is pinched. Her hips are creaky. Her hearing is bad. She has the stamina of a seventy-year-old. And she is only ten.
"Mom," the kids taunted, "come and look at the monster!"
Alicia weighs only twenty-two pounds and is shorter than most preschoolers. She suffers from progeria - a genetic aging disease that strikes one child in eight million. The life expectancy of progeria victims is twenty years. There are only fifteen known cases of this disease in the world.
"She is not an alien. She is not a monster." Theresa defended. "She is just like you and me."
Mentally, Alicia is a bubbly, fun-loving third grader. She has a long list of friends. She watches television in a toddler-sized rocking chair. She plays with Barbie dolls and teases her younger brother.
Theresa has grown accustomed to the glances and questions. She is patient with the constant curiosity. Genuine inquiries she accepts. Insensitive slanders she does not.
The mother of the finger-pointing children came to investigate. "I see 'it'," she told the kids.
"My child is not an 'it'," Theresa stated. Then she decked the woman.
Who could blame her? Such is the nature of parental love. Mothers and fathers have a God-given ability to love their children regardless of imperfections. Not because the parents are blind. Just the opposite. They see vividly.
Theresa sees Alicia's inability as clearly as anyone. But she also sees Alicia's value.
So does God.
God sees us with the eyes of a Father. He sees our defects, errors, and blemishes. But He also sees our value.
. . .What did Jesus know that enabled Him to do what He did?
Here's part of the answer. He knew the value of people. He knew that each human being is a treasure. And because He did, people were not a source of stress, but a source of joy.
-From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
He is not nicer to princes than other people, nor kinder to rich people than poor people, because He made them all with His own hands. -Job 34:19 (NCV)
Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that to God every person is the same. In every country God accepts anyone who worships Him and does what is right." -Acts 10:34-35 (NCV)
As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed." That Scripture says "anyone" because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all and gives many blessings to all who trust in Him, as the Scripture says, "Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:11-13 (NCV)
Jesus told three parables to correct the Pharisees misconception about God. These parables show that God loves all people and wants everyone - especially sinners - to com to Him. God doesn't play favorites, and He rejoices when anyone turns to Him.
Theresa Briones is a tender, loving mother. She also has a stout left hook that she used to punch a lady in a coin laundry. Why'd she do it?
Some kids were making fun of Theresa's daughter, Alicia.
Alicia is bald. Her knees are arthritic. Her nose is pinched. Her hips are creaky. Her hearing is bad. She has the stamina of a seventy-year-old. And she is only ten.
"Mom," the kids taunted, "come and look at the monster!"
Alicia weighs only twenty-two pounds and is shorter than most preschoolers. She suffers from progeria - a genetic aging disease that strikes one child in eight million. The life expectancy of progeria victims is twenty years. There are only fifteen known cases of this disease in the world.
"She is not an alien. She is not a monster." Theresa defended. "She is just like you and me."
Mentally, Alicia is a bubbly, fun-loving third grader. She has a long list of friends. She watches television in a toddler-sized rocking chair. She plays with Barbie dolls and teases her younger brother.
Theresa has grown accustomed to the glances and questions. She is patient with the constant curiosity. Genuine inquiries she accepts. Insensitive slanders she does not.
The mother of the finger-pointing children came to investigate. "I see 'it'," she told the kids.
"My child is not an 'it'," Theresa stated. Then she decked the woman.
Who could blame her? Such is the nature of parental love. Mothers and fathers have a God-given ability to love their children regardless of imperfections. Not because the parents are blind. Just the opposite. They see vividly.
Theresa sees Alicia's inability as clearly as anyone. But she also sees Alicia's value.
So does God.
God sees us with the eyes of a Father. He sees our defects, errors, and blemishes. But He also sees our value.
. . .What did Jesus know that enabled Him to do what He did?
Here's part of the answer. He knew the value of people. He knew that each human being is a treasure. And because He did, people were not a source of stress, but a source of joy.
-From In the Eye of the Storm by Max Lucado; part of The Inspirational Study Bible: New Century Version by Max Lucado
He is not nicer to princes than other people, nor kinder to rich people than poor people, because He made them all with His own hands. -Job 34:19 (NCV)
Peter began to speak: "I really understand now that to God every person is the same. In every country God accepts anyone who worships Him and does what is right." -Acts 10:34-35 (NCV)
As the Scripture says, "Anyone who trusts in Him will never be disappointed." That Scripture says "anyone" because there is no difference between those who are Jews and those who are not. The same Lord is the Lord of all and gives many blessings to all who trust in Him, as the Scripture says, "Anyone who calls on the Lord will be saved." -Romans 10:11-13 (NCV)
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