Tattered and Torn

I always think it's strange that people will pay lots of money for jeans that are faded, have rips or holes, and look like they need to be thrown in the trash. Nowadays, it seems the more worn they appear, the more expensive they are. When something is popular or stylish, it doesn't seem to matter whether buying it makes sense or not. 

As much as I know this is how it goes with clothing, I was surprised while looking at towels in the store recently. There on the shelf sat brand new bath towels that were frayed on the ends. While they may look trendy, I have plenty at home that look just like that from years of use.  My first thought was... Why would I pay money for something that looks like what I already have?  My second thought was... When we become tattered and torn, does that make us more valuable? 

In Matthew 5, the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount, we find the Beatitudes. Jesus gives a list of those who are blessed... The poor in spirit, the ones that mourn, those who are hungry and thirsty, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for their righteousness. 

I've never been a huge fan of The Message as it's more of a Bible interpretation than a translation and I think it's important to take that into consideration when using it as a scripture reference. However, I like the author's interpretation of verse 3. It reads, “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and His rule. You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.” *  While this may not be an actual translation, I think it's a pretty accurate statement. 

Although we may not feel very valuable at times, anything that makes us draw closer to Christ and depend solely on Him, makes us better in the long run. Whether we think it does anything for ourselves, ultimately, what we do for Christ when facing our toughest situations is what defines us. Are you allowing Him to work through you and are you drawing closer to Him in your times of trouble? Is He being glorified through your struggles? If so, you're being valuable to the kingdom.

 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

-Matthew 5:3-10

Torn - Drew Bodine & The Grace Experience

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* The Message, by Eugene Patterson, 2013