The value of coins and other things are usually based on a perceived worth rather than an absolute worth.
I had a coin in my change purse. There’s no telling how long it had been there or where it came from, and I almost counted it among the pennies. It was the same dull brown as the majority of older pennies but it was smaller and so it caught my attention. A closer look confirmed that this was actually a die in disguise.
What had this thing been through to cause it to appear to be something it was not? It was not trying to BE something else, but life had heaped so much stuff upon it that its appearance had changed until it was mistaken to be a penny simply because of its color.
How many people go through life and become so covered by the stuff that they seem to be one thing when in reality they are very different? It will take someone seeing through the façade to help bring them back to their true self.
This little coin is now in the process of restoration. First, a good soaking in water to remove the surface dirt, then a mild acid and some scrubbing – so now it is easier to see what I really have. It isn’t done yet; there is a lot more for it to go through before its true beauty can shine again. However, the process has begun and a visible difference is there. It will take more time and effort to complete the work.
Are you like this dime – your true value hidden? If so, know that God knows who you really are. He sees past the yuck and all that tries to label you as something less than, and He loves you and wants you to be restored. When we are willing to let God walk us through the dark places that stain us and cause others to think we are not worth much, He will bring us back to life.
Maybe you are one who will take the time to help someone else’s value shine again. Perhaps God wants to us you to dust someone off and believe they can be who they were meant to be. When we are willing to let God direct us to love and be patient with those who we can see are not really who they appear to be, we will be rewarded for our efforts.
Are you or someone you know really a dime in a penny’s disguise?