#5 – Adults’ Eyes Open a Little Wider
We've already said that,
when children and youth who have special needs are welcomed into the church,
typically-developing peers learn that they have unconditional worth.
They learn that their worth has nothing to do with their beauty, their ability, their achievements or their potential.
Today,
my fellow grown-ups,
let’s open our eyes just a little wider and realize that the same is true of us.
Our worth doesn’t depend on any of those short-term things either.
Our worth doesn’t depend on our ability.
...not even on our potential ability.
Our worth doesn’t depend on our academic achievements
...nor on our beauty (as Hollywood defines it or otherwise!)
...nor on our athletic ability
...nor on our ability to make money
...nor on our careers’ status and progress (or lack thereof)
...nor on the size of our homes
...nor on the beauty, ability, achievements, athleticism, intelligence or potential of our children.
Our worth doesn’t even depend on how much others love us (and it’s not decreased when they don’t).
One thing that says
“You are precious and loved beyond measure”
is this:
God made us.
That’s pretty awesome in itself.
But that’s not all.
He made us in His own image. He made us to resemble His character.
That’s amazing.
As if that weren’t enough of an honor for us severely-limited human beings,
The God of the Universe wanted to be friends with us.
He made us with the purpose of having a relationship with Him.
We kind of messed that up,
with the fruit in the Garden of Eden and all,
but He didn’t give up wanting it.
So, incredibly, wonderfully,
He came up with a plan to fix it.
He sent His perfect Son to give His life,
To take the punishment for us
(for eating that apple and all the other things that came with it),
...so that we could be forgiven...
...and again have that intimate friendship with Him.
He loves us that much.
That’s even more amazing.
It’s true that our kids are loved and precious because God loves them.
We adults are loved and precious for the same reason.
We grown-ups,
who often carry the weight of the world on our shoulders,
and sometimes feel completely inadequate for all the burdens of life,
can know, too, that we’re loved that much.
And we learn it all just from loving a little child who has special needs.
Please let me say it one more time.
Now that’s amazing!
#6 – Next Up -- We practice what we preach.
