One Man’s Trash

“And when he had removed him, he raised up David to be their king, of whom he testified and said, ‘I have found in David the son of Jesse a man after my heart, who will do all my will.’” Acts 13:22

While cleaning out a closet recently, my husband and I found a great many things to donate.  Some of the things were in good condition and some needed a bit of repair in order to work properly.  Our daughter, Meredith, asked why we would donate something that wasn't in good working condition.  "One man's trash is another man's treasure," was my instant response.

That's true about a lot of things, isn't it?  Sadly, the saying even holds true in how we treat people, doesn't it?

You see it all the time.  A person who doesn't fit in one job goes on to be very successful in another.  Or, a person despised by one person is adored by another.  Someone treated as a failure at everything can be moved to the right environment--one where the love of God reigns--and they are transformed.

Have you seen what I'm talking about?

The stories of Joseph and David are good examples of this.  Joseph was despised by his brothers and sold into slavery.  Yet, God saw fit to make him the second in command over all of Egypt.  David was treated as least important in his family, yet God saw him as just the one to defeat Goliath and just the right king for the entire nation of Israel.

And, look at the story of Jesus.  Jesus knew better than anyone what it felt like to be despised by the world.  Yet, He was and is completely loved and adored by God the Father, and by all of us who follow Him as our Lord and Savior.

Because of this experience, Jesus knows how we feel, too.  He never despises us or sees us as trash, though He despises sinful actions.  We are His greatest treasure, the apple of His eye, His precious creation, highly adored.  He saw us as we were being knit together in our mother's womb (Psalm 139:13).

Deuteronomy 14:2 tells us, "For you are a people holy to the Lord your God, and the Lord has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth."

And, what about the way you see God?  Have you cast Him aside, busy going your own way, doing your own thing, seeing His ways as the ways of last resort, worthless, trash?  I pray that is not the case, and that you recognize God and His ways for the treasure they truly are.

Jesus told us in Matthew 13:44, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field."

God and His ways are to be treasured above all else.  David found that to be true, as he writes in Psalms 119:37, "Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways."

Have you found true treasure in knowing Jesus Christ personally, intimately?  If so, then you know what it is to by treasured by Him, as well. 

1 Corinthians 1:27 tells us, "But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;"

May you treasure Him as He treasures you today.

Goodnight, Runners.