My mom was born in Ireland and raised in England.  She endured the blitz living in the suburbs of the industrial city of Birmingham during World War II.  She came to America just a year before I was born.  As a child I have fond memories of her “sayings.”  ” I will box your ears!  Do you have cloth ears?  Same to you with nobs on it!  Bless you and may they all be little ones.”  Among one of the most memorable was “put that in your pipe and smoke it.”  It meant, take that thought and think on it.

Today I was reminded of the great injustices we can perpetrate on one another.  We can strip down a person’s self worth (wrought over the years and steady as a rock) with a simple glance or a few careless (and certainly heartless) words.  I was reminded by the Lord this afternoon – we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  Just that simple.  God’s perspective devoid of denominational slant or interpretive twisting.  We bear the beautiful image of God.  He sent Jesus to redeem us back to Himself.  He desires our company.  He loves.  He loved first.

I was reminded of sea food.  What you ask?  How do we digress from lofty thoughts of God’s love to sea food?  I used to dislike sea food as a kid for no good reason.  I just chose not to like it without tasting it.  For years I did that.  Guess what – millions upon millions of other people found it just delightful, in fact my choice had no bearing whatsoever on the quality of sea food for the past 46 years.  My poor choice did not diminish it’s quality and subsequent value.

Follow me here – what other people think of you (their choices regarding you) does not change your value in the slightest.  Your value and quality is determined by a far greater power than a mere man or woman – God has set that standard.  He says were valuable, beautiful and worthy of His only begotten Son’s life.

As Ruth (Mom) would say, “Put that in your pipe and smoke it.”