There is nothing like turning to the Psalms to find eloquent, beautiful verse. Psalm 139 is one of my favorites and the line that always rises above the rest is where the Psalmist says: You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) Do you know that you are fearfully and wonderfully made? Do you know the profound worth of your soul and that there is an astounding splendor in you? Our world is populated by people of every race, status, and age, all yearning to feel worth and value. Whether an orphaned, poverty-stricken child in Africa, a prostitute in Thailand, a military officer in Russia, or an executive on Wall Street – every soul searches for true significance. Often times, however, our search leads us to all the wrong places. We try to find our worth in economic status, acceptance by peers, or a sense of special accomplishment. Inevitably we discover that net worth does not produce self-worth. Acceptance by friends does not equate to well-being within. Comparing favorably with others does not produce peace with ourselves.
St. Augustine said, “Men go abroad to wonder at the height of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motion of the stars; and they pass by themselves without wondering.” Isn't it incredible that of the 7.9 billion people in the world, not one of us is exactly like any other?! Some are tall. Some are short. Some are wide. Some are narrow. Some have thick hair. Some have thin hair. Some have light skin. Some have dark skin. Like snowflakes, all are unique and have been fearfully and wonderfully made by God. Unfortunately, there is a lot of money spent on changing what God has fearfully and wonderfully made. Even amid the covid-19 pandemic, in 2020 Americans spent 9 billion dollars on cosmetic surgery. American pop singer Lada Gaga says, “Baby, you were born this way.” Each and every one of us was born fearfully and wonderfully made. You carry within you something ineffable, something that Christianity names being made in the image of God, and which Buddhism names the potential Buddha-nature of all people and which is expressed in the Hindu greeting, Namaste–that which is divine in me honors what is divine in you. Know your profound worth and recognize the divine spark in each other.
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