You are valuable by design.

“To be worth something.” That’s the simplest definition of value.

From someone who struggled with seeing value in myself or in life, to now slowly understanding that when God designed me, outer circumstances, opinions and even willing sin couldn’t change what He established.

It reminds me of a video I came across of a man holding up a $100 dollar bill in a room full of people. It was a new bill, nice and crispy and hadn’t even been folded yet. He holds it out and asks the crowd if anyone wanted it. The crowd instantly started flailing theirs hands wildly, trying to grab his attention. “Me! Me! I want it!” They shouted.

He takes the $100 dollars and begins to crumble it between his fingers until all that was left was a tiny crushed up ball. He held it out to the crowd. “How about now?” The room kind of settled and everyone looked around at each other waiting to see if anyone would speak up. Surprisingly, a few still raised their hand and reached out for the wadded up $100 dollar bill.

He then proceeds to take the money, and throws it on the floor. He starts stepping all over it. Making sure that it was unrecognizable. The crowd just watches on in utter confusion. The excitement of getting the money faded almost as quickly as that bill was destroyed by the weight of his foot. He continues to spit on it and starts ripping tiny tears all around the edges. He picks up the mangled bill and holds it out again. “Who will take it now?“

You could hear a pin drop. It was dead silent. Not one person wanted the $100 dollar bill anymore. I mean the spit was enough for me to pass up on it too, but I still waited for someone to raise their hand to take it, but no one did.

He looked out into the crowd with disappointment and pointed out the problem a lot of us have today. We believe that because we are damaged, broken, stepped on, spit on and even forsaken by others, that we no longer hold value. We determine worth by what others deem desirable.

As I listened to his response, I thought about all the times I believed that what people saw on the outside determined what I was worth. Pride got in the way of them understanding that it was still $100 dollars. Which could have easily been more money than most came in with.

Visually, that displayed the difference between God and us so tangibly. People were so quick to receive the money when it was in its most desirable condition. They didn’t even give it a second thought. It was that mangled ball, that torn up and spit on mess that God wanted.

When everyone sees the damage and the brokenness and rejects you, God sees through that. He sees the version of ourself, that He designed meticulously despite the enemies attempt to destroy it. When the mirage of perfection disappears and our imperfection is on full display, it doesn’t deter God’s heart from us. It just proves His love more deeply, because we were enough of a reason for His son to die for us.

Jesus is the optimal description of mint condition. The truest representation of perfection. God sacrificed Him for our filthy rags. Blows my mind every time I try to wrap my head around it. The bible says it best in Romans 5:8 “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

It’s a much needed reminder that while we may be forsaken, discarded or even rejected, our value doesn’t change. We were formed in the image of the highest worth and value known to exist. We were made in the image of God. If we really were worthless, then why die at all? It would be in vain. I know God enough to understand that nothing is by coincidence, but only by His divine will.