You are valued

No Man is Worthless

Throughout history there has existed a hatred of others because of race or religion. We know, for instance, that the Egyptians hated the Israelites who lived in their country. Later in the Old Testament we witness the differences between the worshippers of foreign gods and the followers of Yahweh (old word for God) and the Israelites and the Philistines. In fact the expression "You Philistine, meaning "you uncultured person" is still in use. In the New Testament the Jews had nothing to do with the Samaritans. Right up to present times there has been anti-Semitism in the world.

People continue to brand other groups as useless and worthless because of some difference between them. Adolf Hitler considered the Jews to be undesirable and set out plans to remove them forever. Over 6 million met their deaths under those plans. The experience of those men and women who survived the Nazi death camps is well published. Yet people still set themselves apart and fuel racism all over the world.

It is not that long ago that I was in conversation with a Church Secretary in the United Reformed Church. She was telling me about a minister who came to her church to preach with a view to becoming their new minister. He was African. "I don’t know why he was sent here, Keith," she said. "We don’t have any black people in our congregation!" So, you can see that even people who try hard not to be racist get it wrong despite their best efforts.

I recall the story of an elderly university professor who gave up his job and became a tramp. One day he was found very ill on the pavement and he was taken to hospital. A number of doctors stood round his bed discussing his case in Latin. "Let us allow this worthless person to die and then we can use his body for medical research." The tramp looked up at them and replied in Latin, "Count no man worthless for whom Christ died."

Deep in their hearts Christians know this to be true. Jesus died for everyone, so no one is counted less than any other. We are overjoyed that he died for everyone because we can assume ourselves in that number. We are highly valued if God saw fit to sacrifice his Son for us. It means he expresses towards us the greatest love imaginable. This being so we are prompted to respond by adopting his loving ways that seek peace rather than conflict.

My personal mission comes from these words of Jesus, "Simon Peter, do you love me?" "Yes, Lord, you know I love you!" said Peter. "Then feed my sheep." This is why Chistians make contact with you and want to talk about you and what makes you tick. They show interest in you just as Jesus shows interest in you. They come to you and eventually you see Jesus for yourself. But when you are out and about in life, never consider anyone else worthless, because Jesus sees them all as precious.