You have value in God’s eyes

THERE once was a boy who drank and used drugs. He broke into shops and stole and sold the goods for money to buy alcohol.

This boy's father came to me and said, "Do you see these hands – they are clean. My boy's blood will not be on these hands.”

Soon afterwards I saw this boy hitchhiking. I stopped and asked him where he was going. I gave him a lift and when we entered a pass on a high mountain, he asked me to stop so that he could take a picture of this awesome landscape. I stopped and he took some pictures. It started raining and he got back in the car. We drove off and he said, "Did God make all of this?" I answered, "Yes, it is the awesome creation of God."

He then said, "Did He do it for me?”

I smiled and said, "Yes, just for you."

Weeks passed and I did not hear of the young man until one day he came to church. After the service he came up to me and said, “I have been thinking about this ‘awesome God’ and I want to change and give my life to Him.”

I smiled and rejoiced with joy and love in my heart for I know this amazing God can do amazing things.

He gave his life to the Lord and became active in the youth and a full member of the church. He stopped drinking and using drugs and he was a blessing to us all. One Sunday I was preaching on the scripture from St Paul, "I am what I am, through the grace of God."

The youth came to me and asked me to explain and I said, “You are special and saved in His eyes. You belong to Him.”

Weeks passed and one Saturday he was at a function for the youth. He and a friend were walking home at night when his friends saw him and said, "Bro, let’s go and drink and party.”

His friend said, "No, we have changed. We belong to God now. The boy also said, "I am what I am today because God saved me."

His old friends took out their knives and started beating them, dragging them into an open field and stabbing them.

The young man’s friend ran for help and the boy was taken to hospital. I rushed there and found him in ICU.

He smiled at me and said, “Do you remember the day on the mountain?” “Yes, I do,” I said. “That was a great day,” he answered. “To think God has done all that for me."

He held his arms out to me and said, "Reverend Chris, I am what I am, for He has done it all for me."

Then he closed his eyes and went to meet his awesome Creator, who had done everything “just for him.”