Are you an 8-cow saint?

I’m working on a daily devotional which will be published next year, am 310/365th of the way through, so nearly there. Thought I’d share a taster today:

Deuteronomy 7:7,8 “The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. But it was because the Lord loved you…”

Johnny Lingo was a wealthy young entrepreneur living on the Polynesian island of Nurabi. He was in love with Mahana, who lived on the neighboring island of Kiriwadi. Objectively speaking, Mahana’s looks could at best be described as ‘plain’. So her father was delighted she had found a suitor. The tradition on Kiriwadi stated that a man had to bargain for his future wife with his potential father-in-law by offering cows. The usual price for a bride was four cows. The most beautiful young ladies went for six cows. Sam Korad, Mahana’s father, had decided to ask for two cows but would be willing to settle for one. On the day of trading, the two respective families gathered around in anticipation. They were astonished when Johnny Lingo arrived and offered eight cows for Mahana! They wondered why a smart trader would waste so many cows so unnecessarily…

…but six months later, they discovered the reason. Mahana had become the most beautiful woman in all the islands, thriving as she loved and served her husband. She had been given value, and she had blossomed.

We all have the same value in the eyes of Jesus Christ. We’re all eight-cow saints! He paid exactly the same great price for you as he paid for me, for the apostle Paul, or for Billy Graham. The great theologian Paul Tillich used to say: “Accept the fact that you are accepted.” When you do so, you will thrive, and you will accept other people around you as well, and serve them – and they won’t owe you anything, and you won’t mind that at all. That’s the beautiful fruit and security that comes from knowing you are accepted, valued and wanted.

Lord, I choose to blossom today in the knowledge of how accepted, valued and wanted I am by you. Amen!