She had heard about him, but he turned out to be so much more than she ever imagined. She had no idea how far he was willing to go to show his love. She had no idea how much she was really worth.
Bible Reading: Luke 8:43-48; 1 Peter 1:18-20
Twelve long years she had struggled. The physical ailment was debilitating, yet the loneliness was worse. She was an outcast, judged, viewed as a sinner, an inferior being too unclean to mix with the rest of society. And if all that wasn’t enough, she was broke… destitute… her illness had taken every penny she had. But God had a plan for her story. A plan so great that some 2000 years later, her story would be famous. Her act of faith is read, studied, taught, and preached.
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” Matthew 23:12 KJV
“…for he that is least among you all, the same shall be great.” Luke 9:48 KJV
In profound faith, believing she could finally experience relief if she could only touch the hem of His robe, this woman came to Jesus physically sick and spiritually broken, living in a society that told her she had no value. However, not only was she healed at the moment she touched His garment, when Jesus saw this woman trembling on the ground at His feet, He addressed her as “daughter.” Her community had treated her as an outcast, shunning and excluding her. Jesus welcomed her as a member of His family. (See Luke 8:43-48).
We live in a world where beauty is scored on a rubric based on superficial and external criteria and a person’s worth is stated by the monetary value of one’s assets minus indebtedness. It can be so easy to fall prey to setting expectations for ourselves that align to the world’s standard of greatness.
All my life I’ve been told that something is only worth what a person is willing to pay for it. And, Friend, Jesus paid for us with His life. 1 Peter 1:18-19 says, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ…” KJV.
When we receive Christ’s gift of salvation, our citizenship changes. Our residence in a world where dollar signs rule, pain and suffering are a reality, and some are treated as outcasts or shunned because of appearance is temporary. Jesus paid it all, overcame death on our behalf, raising us to life with Him eternally. We become permanent citizens of the kingdom of God, and when our Savior returns, we will live with Him where love and peace will abound forevermore. And not only are we citizens of His kingdom, but we are members of His family, sons and daughters of the Most High God, joint heirs with Christ.
May we never forget our true worth found in the love of our Father and a Savior who paid for us with His blood.
