Yesterday, I was teaching a lesson on diversity in my class. I told my students, “All of you are beautiful and valuable.” I heard a student whisper, “I’m not.”

Surprised and stunned, I said, “Why do you say that?” He shook his head and once again said, “I’m not.”

I, of course, reaffirmed that he was in fact beautiful and valuable.

This was only my second day meeting this child. I know he has some family challenges and some mental challenges but my heart is broken for this child. For all children, for all people who don’t know their value. Who have been made to feel less than because of poverty, because of mental challenges, because of their weight, because of their ethnicity or gender, because they were born on the wrong side of the track, because they struggle with a sin, an addiction. There are so many people who don’t know their value.This young man just had the courage to vocalize it.

Can I ask you to do me a favor? Today, remind someone that they are beautiful and valuable. Maybe a family member, your cashier, a child in your life, someone down on their luck. Look them in the eye and remind them they were created in God’s image and therefore are beautiful and valuable!

“God created humankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them, male and female he created them.”
‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:27‬ ‭NET‬‬