Walk through an art gallery and you will find all kinds of pictures, lithographs, drawings, and sculptures. Many are amazing in their details, their quality, their beauty. Many, not so much. This is not a critique on art, but let’s be honest, there are some pieces of art hanging in museum’s and galleries that I might have been able to do. But there is one thing that they all have in common, and it has nothing to do with the medium, or the material, or even the artist. It has to do with the place you are viewing them, the gallery, the museum. Chances are, there is significant security. Some you see, some you don’t. Some of it has to do with theft, some if it has to do with damage, and longevity of the piece. No matter what it is, the level of security and protection is a reminder of the perceived value of the pieces. Walk down the street in any town in the world and you will see all kinds of people. All different height, weight, color and creed. Some are healthy, some are not. Some are old, others are young. Rich or poor, leader or follower, married or single. No two are the same, and they all took different paths to get to this point in life. Each is unique in thousands of ways, yet each is the same in two ways. The Artist, who created them. And the Savior who came to redeem them. No matter what anyone looks like or sounds like, the fact is that they were made in the image of God. Each and every person you encounter has the fingerprints of God, all over them. And as such, each and every person you encounter any given day, is a priceless masterpiece in the eyes of their Creator, God. The other commonality is that whether they know it or not, believe it or not, accept it or not, Jesus came to earth to save and redeem them. “For God so loved the world, He gave His One and Only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” John 3:16-17
I can walk through an art gallery and wonder how in the world anyone would pay $20 for some of the works, but for the artist, it represents their heart, and soul, blood, sweat and tears. To them, there is no price that you can put on that. In the same way, there are people we encounter every day, that we may not see the value in. Truth be told, there are many who don’t see any value in themselves, but to the Artist, to the One Who Created them, they are priceless, sacred. And we see that played out in the price He was willing to pay, to save and redeem us. Next time you doubt your worth, or the worth of anyone else, be reminded, the King of King, and the Lord of Lords felt so passionate about your value, their value, that He was willing to step down out of heaven, and give His life, in exchange for theirs… in exchange for yours.
I can walk through an art gallery and wonder how in the world anyone would pay $20 for some of the works, but for the artist, it represents their heart, and soul, blood, sweat and tears. To them, there is no price that you can put on that. In the same way, there are people we encounter every day, that we may not see the value in. Truth be told, there are many who don’t see any value in themselves, but to the Artist, to the One Who Created them, they are priceless, sacred. And we see that played out in the price He was willing to pay, to save and redeem us. Next time you doubt your worth, or the worth of anyone else, be reminded, the King of King, and the Lord of Lords felt so passionate about your value, their value, that He was willing to step down out of heaven, and give His life, in exchange for theirs… in exchange for yours.