Fully Accepted

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can’t even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand!

“Mom, Kari told me she’s going to straighten her hair every day because that’s what the popular girls do,” Jasmine said late one evening after returning home from an activity.

“What?” I responded. “But she has such pretty, curly hair. I love it.”

“Me too,” my daughter said as she sat on the edge of my bed where I had been reading. “I told her she doesn’t need to do that, but she said she doesn’t have any friends at school, and she thinks it will help her.”

“Oh honey,” I said, realizing the ache behind her young friend’s actions. I fully understood where she was coming from, and it grieved my heart. “She doesn’t need to do that. She’s beautiful just the way she is. It’s a shame the other kids at her school don’t see it.”

“I know,” Jasmine whispered with a sigh.

“Why don’t you invite her over this weekend? See if she wants to sleep over?” I asked as I hugged Jasmine. She nodded as I kissed her cheek. “And remind her how much we love her, just as she is.”

“I will,” Jasmine said, and before I sent her off to bed, she texted her friend to make plans.

How often have you and I tried to change things about ourselves so that others would like us? It’s a familiar feeling, and although wanting to be included is good, changing who we are so others will befriend us is not the best approach. We need to remember that we are already fully accepted by God. His thoughts about us are precious and too plentiful to be counted, outnumbering the grains of sand. He loves us so much.

This truth can uphold us even when others shun us or leave us out. We are fully known, entirely accepted, truly loved. We are valuable, just as we are.

Kendra

Today’s Act of Gratitude

Thank God for his acceptance of you, and then remind someone else of his love