All Worthy

 

The sun had finally returned after four days of ice and rain. The temperatures climbed into the 50’s and the neighborhood came alive once again. Children were outside playing. Parents were catching up on the latest happenings. It was great to be outdoors for a few minutes and not be bundled up against the arctic cold or trying not to fall on the ice.

As I walked along the sidewalk, I noticed this ball stuck in the storm drain. It was in plain sight and appeared that it could be easily rescued. I wondered why it was left there. Surely it got there as a couple of children were playing with it, laughing and having fun. What could possibly make them just walk away and leave their toy? It seemed such a waste when the ball could so easily be reclaimed.

When I was a child, our preacher told the story of a little boy who worked hard building a toy boat to play with on the lake near his home. He finally finished and was enjoying a day of watching it on the water when the wind came up and blew the boat out of sight. He searched and searched for it, but it was lost.

Then, one day, he saw the toy boat he had made in the window of a second hand store. He rushed inside to tell the owner that it was his boat. The owner didn’t believe him, but instead told him the price of the boat. The little boy went home and did chores until he had earned the amount needed. As soon as he had it, he rushed back and bought the boat. As he placed the boat on the water once again, the little boy said, “You are twice mine. I made you, then I bought you back.”

I’m not sure why that memory has stayed with me for well over 50 years, but it has. I am not even a fan of canned stories. My guess is that, in these words, I first heard the idea that God thinks we are all worthy of being reclaimed. God never leaves anyone alone, God never writes anyone off. Even me. God looks at each of us and sees someone of great worth. God made us, and God loves us enough to reclaim us. Always.

Peace.