Day 36: There is Value in Everyone

Read: Genesis 5:1-5

An elderly man walked into the coffee shop I work at and made his way over to the counter. For the fourth time that week, he began to ramble on about his family’s genealogy. He sat down, but when he saw there were no more customers to talk to, he came back to the counter to talk to me. 

I began to feel annoyed, thinking, “I’ve heard all of this before and it’s only been a week.” But then I noticed how my co-workers acknowledged him, addressed him, and listened to him. It hit me: this man is not an annoyance. He was created specifically by God in His image. God values him. My co-workers were simply treating this man in light of who he is in God’s eyes.

Genesis 5:1-2 reminds us that when God created man and woman, He created them after His own likeness. He loved us so much before humanity even existed in the world that He made us (male and female) like Himself. He created, named, and blessed us. The truth that we bear God’s image has endless implications, but we will rest on this one for now: humanity has value. And this does not just refer to humanity as a whole, but to each individual person.

As we delve into the genealogies of our forefathers, there is a pattern that we all need to take note of. The record will show the age of an individual, that same person being a father, and the years that they are a father to their children, and then the age of their deaths. This is only different with two notable people: Enoch and Noah. As Moody’s commentary states, “…the greatest purpose of this genealogy is to draw attention to those that broke the pattern.” 

Looking back at these genealogies shows us important lessons to live out. That is why we need to be able to take the time to understand it. Every person is a valued creation made intentionally by God. You have value for this reason. As do I. As does the person who is deemed as an annoyance or an outcast. 

No person is created by accident. No person has less value than others. Rather, every person is created purposefully by the God of the universe to reflect pieces of Him. Let us not forget this or the importance of the rich history behind something that may just seem like a list of names. 

I encourage you to pause and take this moment to reflect on how you view yourself and those you have interacted with so far today. Are you treating yourself and the people around you in light of this truth? If not, ask God to help you view yourself and those you come across today through His eyes.