‘Out of all the peoples on the face of the earth, the LORD has chosen you to be his treasured possession’. Deuteronomy, 14:2
Once upon a time, a baby girl was born. She seemed fragile on the outside, so small and helpless, yet unbeknownst to her, God had made her strong on the inside, in the hidden parts of her heart, because He knew she would need that strength. God saw what He had made, and He smiled because He saw the work of His hands. And He knew it was very good.
As she grew, her Maker watched over her and surrounded her with caretakers to look after her and teach her His ways. God grieved when He saw that many didn’t understand her great worth. Some ignored her; others laughed or scoffed. The village that she lived in overlooked her potential. They failed to recognise her gifts, the mark of her Creator. God’s heart broke when she began to believe what others said about her, instead of believing what God himself knew was true. God was not pleased, so He set about to right this wrong.
One day, when she was a grown woman, another of her own kind invited her to a gathering. She was unsure at first, even reluctant, but her friend insisted, so she went. As they approached the door, two smiling men walked toward them, holding umbrellas to shield them from the rain that had started to fall. “Welcome!” they said, ushering them in with a smile.
The women inside the venue seemed excited to see her, even though they didn’t know her! They led her and her friend into the auditorium and found seats. The place was beautifully decorated, and a large sign above the main window read, ‘Be Refreshed’.
At first she was overwhelmed by the great throng of women assembled in one place. They were both young and old, and she marvelled that the women appeared to come from such diverse backgrounds, yet she felt strangely at home with them all. A young man played the piano; the music relaxed and soothed her nervous soul. The lights went out for the opening, and excitement suddenly surged through her body. A spotlight pierced the darkness, revealing a beautiful dancer whose movements seemed to implore the woman to enter into all that was in store for her. She followed the dancer’s flow and surrendered, drinking in every drop of goodness for her parched heart.
Music serenaded her, echoing ‘more of you, more of you’. She sang, unable to identify what she felt, what she wanted; the feeling unnerved her, but strangely, she wanted more. A woman was introduced. She gave a message which was surely meant for all women, everywhere. Your worth is far more precious than jewels, your value… far above rubies or pearls. Tears slipped silently down her face. Her friend offered her a tissue and put an arm around her.
“I don’t know why I’m crying”, the woman whispered to her friend.
“I do”, her friend replied. “You feel loved, accepted. You’re beginning to realise you’re worth, that you’re made for something better than what you presently see”.
The woman cried all the more; for the first time, she didn’t feel judged, she felt safe. Her friend prayed for her, as the other women filed out in search of coffee and cake. But the woman was in no hurry to leave; she was already satisfied.
And God looked at what He had made. And God smiled because He saw that it was very good.