Read
For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13
Reflect
Americans pride themselves on being the best at almost everything. We love to win at just about every competition. For proof, watch almost any international sporting event. When an American is competing, you can usually count on hearing chants of “U-S-A! U-S-A!”
But one contest we win every year is not such a good thing.
America is very good at producing junk. We throw away staggering amounts of waste, and junk mail is one small but familiar example. Most of us know the routine: open the mailbox, sort through advertisements we never asked for, and carry most of it straight to the trash or recycling bin. We are very good at producing things that are unwanted, unused, and quickly discarded.
And that is where God is entirely different.
While we excel at making and disposing of junk, God does not. Regardless of how we may feel about ourselves — or how we may be tempted to see other people — God does not make junk. Every one of us was specially created by the Lord. Psalm 139 tells us that before we were born, God already knew us, formed us, and saw the days laid out before us.
That applies to every person ever made, from kings and queens and captains of industry to the homeless person on the street. We all see people every day whose lives appear broken, painful, or far from what God intended. The next time you see someone like that, remember this: God does not make junk. He created them with dignity, purpose, and worth. He still has a plan for them.
And He still has a plan for you.
Today, remember that God created you with purpose, and pray that He will help you walk within that purpose throughout the day. Also pray for the people you see who may have lost sight of His plan. Ask the Lord to bless them, restore them, and give them a fresh encounter with Him.
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Reflection copyright © 2026 Doug DeBolt.
Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
