But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him?
Hebrews 2:6
Today, everybody is special. Everybody deserves to be recognized. Everybody should get a trophy. Everyone’s unique. Everyone has an opinion that deserves to be heard. Everyone has earned the right to be at the front of the line. Everyone should earn the same amount. Everyone’s life should be without struggle, disappointment, and pain.
No matter what you think about this, there’s a lot of strong feelings on both sides of the fence. One side thinks that it’s beneficial because it encourages cooperation and an inclusive learning environment. Because it’s not all about winning, the importance of teamwork is the number one goal.
On the other side, there’s no encouragement to improve. What people can do without getting better is rewarded. Somme people say, “What’s the point of struggling and working hard? Why try to learn new skills? What’s the point in winning if everyone is rewarded?”
But the opposite of being special and recognized is being insignificant. Being invisible. Not standing out. Being unimportant. When someone’s insignificant, we think they have little to no value. They are worthless. They are irrelevant.
Have you ever been told that you’re insignificant? That you’re not worth the powder to blow you away. Maybe it wasn’t with words that you clearly got the message that you’re insignificant. It could have been through what wasn’t said. Or how you were treated. How people just walked by you. Turning a cold shoulder to you.
So, the question is, what’s so special about people? Why would God pay so much attention to them? What’s the big deal about men and women. Boys, and girls. Why not dogs and cats? Why would God go to all the trouble to do these two things.
Mindful of them. Not that God just thought about us somewhere back in the past, and then forgot about us. Not on your life. God is presently thinking about people. He’s remembering us right now. He keeps on recalling us. He’s continually bringing us back into his mind. God is actively and purposefully remembering us.
Care for him. When God cares for someone, he doesn’t just stop by once in a while. Oh no. He’s constantly caring for us. He’s always looking in on us. Checking to see how we’re doing. He doesn’t just give us a quick glance, but he’s carefully inspecting everything about us and our lives. He knows what’s going on and is taking action to help and support us.
Do you have anyone in your life who’s like this? They are always there to help. Protect. Answer questions. Guide. Provide for. Someone who’s always on your team and not on your back? Someone that surprises you with little things that remind you of their constant care and love for you.
If you even have just one person like this, you’re very special. Not because of who you are but to have them in your life. Believe me when I tell you that we don’t deserve anyone like this in our lives. We haven’t earned this kind of blessing or compassion.
And of all people to be like this to us, God’s mindfulness and care is far and away the most beautiful and undeserved blessing we could have. How could it get any better than for the God of the universe to want you and me?
Think about it. God has given us life. He’s shown nothing but love and compassion. Our natural reaction should be to respond by wanting to please the one who first loved us. To be willing to do what he wants. To make him happy.
But what have we done? How have we paid God back? I’ll tell you how, we’ve selfishly horded all his love and provision for ourselves. No matter how much he’s given, it’s never enough. We want more and more. And then we want what he’s given to someone else for ourselves.
As I write these words, I’m thinking of just one person in particular. They’ve been so selfish. They’ve been so prideful. They only think about themselves and how everything’s about them. No one else, just them.
Just in case you’re wondering who that it – it’s me. I look at how much God’s lovingkindness has been poured out onto me, and my reaction is that it’s never enough. I want more and more. I Scream at God, “Why are you being so kind to that person? I deserve that blessing.”
God has a word for that. And that word is sin. It’s when I separate myself from God. I’m never satisfied. Like an addiction, I crave more and more. And just in case you think I’m overreacting, I’m in good company when I describe myself like this. The great Apostle Paul cries out in agony, calling himself a wretched man[1]. To the world we’re insignificant, but God was willing to come and die for us. Our response isn’t to beat ourselves up, but to rejoice in God’s willingness to die for us. Even for the wretched people we are and the absolute mess we’ve made of things.
Noodling Questions
How significant or insignificant do you feel about yourself? Explain
What’s our reaction to insignificant people?
Describe a significant time when you felt wretched before God?
[1] Romans 7:24
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