I recently purchased a gun..yes, a real one..at my husband’s urging.  We’re not survivalists, or gun fanatics, and I don’t particularly worry about my safety on a regular basis.  However, the reality is that no matter how friendly my little city might be, there are still drugs, crime, and wrongdoers in it, and the older I get the more I realize I just might need help one day other than my own strength.

So, I got a gun, and we both began the process of being legal carriers a couple of weeks ago.  Forms, signatures, more forms, and serious application fees(!) later, we were ready for the final step…fingerprinting.  We drove over to the Sheriff’s office and got started.  Now the only other time I ever got fingerprinted it was the old fashioned way with ink and papertowels.  I was in for a very pleasant surprise this time, however, because it’s all computerized, of course!  Now I am sure the deputy doing mine has done fingerprinting thousands of times, and could do it in his sleep.  AND his “customers” are usually a lot less enthusiastic about the process!  But I was totally captivated as we went through it.  

One by one I watched as all these unique designs showed up on the computer screen and was in awe at how different they were.  Each finger, both palms, whole hand…it was amazing.  When we were done, he printed out a sheet with all the prints for me to sign.  Before I signed, I looked at it and just had a moment.  I have never owned any highly valued paintings, or works of art, and I wouldn’t know a $50,000 sculpture from a $5 one.  But there!  There in front of me, on some ordinary glossy photo paper, was a priceless masterpiece – my fingerprints! Or I should say Masterpiece…because 56 years ago the Master Artist created it!

I know in any kind of collecting, there is always the chase for that rare item.  Whatever the collection, there is always that first edition, misprinted stamp, speciality 1of 1 issue, etc that brings the highest price and is the most sought after.  I love watching shows about the hunt for those treasures, and rejoice with the finders when one is discovered.   Then when they find out the value of the piece, I am often overwhelmed at the thought that one item could be worth that much, and wonder what it would be like to own something that great.

AND YET!  The minute I have those feelings, I am overlooking a great truth..that I don’t have to own one of those, I AM one!  God, the Father and Creator of all things, took a moment in time and uniquely and wonderfully created me, and there is literally no one else like me.  This world we live in tries SO hard to keep me from believing that.  There are rules that we follow (most of which are good), standards we live by, and uniforms/dress codes that we wear and follow, and these are good.  But the enemy takes those things and says, “you’re no big deal, look around you, everybody’s the same.”  There’s also the pressure cooker of peer pressure and expectation -you must eat this, wear this, do this, drive this, and like this to be accepted – and it starts working on us as children and doesn’t let up until we die.  There is usually no allowance made for different.

AND YET!  As I looked at my fingerprints, I was overwhelmed by the love of God and His voice saying, “Look at you!!  Look at those fingerprints that are unlike ANY other set of fingerprints IN THE WORLD!”  I stopped and thought about the fact that if I had been standing in a room of even 10,000 people or more, I would have in my hands a one of a kind treasure!

With my mind blown at this thought, God also reminded me of my worth.  I am worth SO much that His Son DIED for me. Died.  And rose again to give me new life!  AND if I had been the only person that ever lived, He still would have done it! THAT is what treasure means!  THAT is why He made us the way He did, so that every time we are down, every time we feel worthless or hopeless, we can look at our hands and go Wow!  Look how unique I am!  And then, we can look at another set of hands -his hands – and see the value we have by HIS scars in His hands…scars that prove we are priceless in His eyes, and that as long as we are here, He has a plan and purpose for us!  

Need encouragement today?  Go wash your hands!  Go USE your hands!  And let His love wash fresh over you!