Damaged goods section

In many of the grocery stores there is a damaged goods section....or at least a cart with damaged goods.  Normally those goods are canned goods.  Some of the cans are dented, some have torn labels, and some may have labels that are discolored just a bit, and once in a while there is a "mystery" can or two with no labels at all.  Those are for folks who like surprises.  At any rate, those items in the damaged goods section are sold at a rather good discount.  There is nothing wrong with the contents at all.  The insides are not damaged.  It is just what people see that makes them damaged.

Many people consider themselves damaged goods.  For instance:

• they may have been sexually abused at some point in their life, and feel they are not worthy
• they may have gone through a divorce and feel that they are stained
• they may have fallen away from their church and/or have struggled mightily with their walk
• perhaps they tasted a life of crime and feel that they are constantly judged
• perhaps they have never gotten a break in life, or have failed to capitalize on them and feel totally inadequate
• etc.

These are the folks that have allowed the damage to the outside invade their minds and hearts inside.....so that they feel worthless or unworthy, unloved, and unwanted by others.  Perhaps we have all felt like damaged goods at one point or another in our lives.

In God's eyes, there is no damaged goods section in His store....humanity.  He holds each of us in His heart of hearts, and if we could just hear Him we would hear "You matter to me".  He proved that when He sent His son Jesus to the cross to die for us.

I went through an extended period where I considered myself damaged goods.  I put myself right there in that grocery cart.  Deep down, deep deep down, I knew I was ok I think, but I was pretty sure I wasn't lovable, that I was unwanted, and that I was unworthy.  God worked through other people to help me find the way, and through that, and His grace, I found that I never belonged in the damaged goods section in the first place, that it is a self induced place of exile.

We're not damaged goods, because we matter to Him....no matter what.