This post was contributed by Kevin Schrapel.

Last Tuesday started with, “Ruth, where’s my red shirt?”

“In the bin – I threw it out!”

“Oh, no, not my red shirt – it’s been with me forever, through thick and thin!”

“That’s the problem – it got too thin, now it’s in the bin,” came the matter-of-fact reply.

Sure enough, there it lay, forlorn, weeping shredded stitches, bruised by beetroot juice and cowering under a milk box.

I knew there was no use in trying to resuscitate the poor thing – it had lost all its starch.

With a sigh, I gave it a gentle caress and, with the closing of the lid, closed another chapter of my life.

You might say, “it’s only an old shirt, get over it” – and you would be right.

But, sadly, many in our community would identify with my red shirt: cast aside, treated as worthless.

It is amazing how so often something as simple as a harsh word, a gesture of indifference, being left alone to fend for yourself or a harsh, uncalled-for criticism can make us feel we have lost some of our worth.

If it continues, we can find ourselves feeling cast aside, dumping ourselves in the bin of worthlessness and pulling the lid down.

If that is where you are, fortunately, you and your life don’t have to stay “in the bin”.

Jesus, the son of God, lifts the lid, and no matter what you might think you see, he sees a person he cares for dearly, cares for with his whole life and being.

Remember the story of his being nailed on a cross?

He allowed that to happen because he cares.

He cares for each one of us, even in the times when we may not care for ourselves.

Jesus never shuts the lid and walks away.

He identifies with being cast aside, ridiculed, beaten and whipped, cursed, friendless and dying on a cross.

Why?

The most famous words from God’s word, the Bible sum it up: “for God loved the world so much that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life”.

The words, thoughts and actions which leads to hurt are the results of humanity walking away from a friendship with the God of the Bible.

God wants that friendship back because with that friendship comes self-worth.

His son was the only one who could achieve what had to be done, and he has done it – now, believe it.

In God’s eyes, we all have so much worth.

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