I've been watching the television show "Person of Interest" since it first came on. Very interesting premise; post 9/11 the government wants a machine built that can monitor all cell phones, every camera, etc to detect acts of terrorism. The machine is so good though that it can detect violent crimes of all kinds. The government considers crimes between 'normal' people to be irrelevant. The man who builds the machine takes it and with some assistance from some people who are 'irrelevant' in their own way tracks down these so-called irrelevant numbers and helps them.
Irrelevant. Not important, immaterial, not pertinent, insignificant, trivial. There have been times I have felt that way. Have you? Times it seems no one in the world cared. That no matter what you do it's not good enough. That if you died today, who would even notice? I think we all have had those moments, sometimes periods of time where we felt irrelevant.
We have all probably had moments of feeling unloved, unwanted, unnoticed. I know I spent many years feeling that way. A child of alcoholics. An introvert. Overweight and not attractive; basically invisible. My best friends, my dog Holly and my radio. Hours spent alone in my room wondering what was wrong with me. I spent years wanting to be seen and to be loved.
It wasn't until years later, after much damage done to myself in that search for love that I truly found it. I found it in the person of Jesus Christ. I found it in the Man who was the Son of God. It didn't happen overnight. I had to truly begin to believe that He loved me. ME. That was a foreign thought for me. That someone could love me, and I didn't have to do anything for it. I didn't have to take enough drugs to feel loved. I didn't have to drink enough alcohol to feel worth something. I didn't have to give myself away to someone to feel wanted. He loved me and felt I was worthy and wanted because of who He was. All I had to do was accept that love, that sacrifice and begin to walk in that relationship with Him.
There was a very thought provoking quote in one of the recent episodes of Person of Interest. "What is love if not being seen". What a concept. I had always felt invisible. Even when I first got saved, I doubted that in this whole wide world that He really saw me, really noticed me. But I never really knew I felt that way until one day I had a dream, or maybe a vision, I really don't know. But I do know that whatever it was changed my life. What I saw was Jesus walking down this dusty street. Many, many people everywhere. He is smiling and talking to them. Touching them and hugging them. Then it's like I can see myself from above and I am huddled in this little ball, curled up on myself. Knowing that He could never see me, never love me like He loves those others. I bury my head down between my knees and just feel so alone, so bereft. Suddenly I feel this presence. I feel this touch. He never speaks, He just comes down to where I am and holds me. I am enveloped in this feeling of pervasive love. I am touched to the core of my being. I AM LOVED. I felt this soaring joy. I feel it now just thinking about it. I am seen. I am loved. Even though I am seen I am loved. What a concept. That this One, the Living Son of God, the Word made flesh, miracle worker, healer, Lamb of God would place so much value on me that He would die for me. That He would give all so that I could have a relationship with Him.
That must mean I am not irrelevant. Let's look at some scriptures that tell me who I am in Jesus...
John 1:12, I am a child of God
John 15:15, I am a friend of Jesus
Romans 3:24, I am justified and redeemed
Romans 15:7, I have been accepted by Jesus
2 Corinthians 15:17, I am a new creation in Christ
2 Corinthians 5:21, I am the righteousness of God in Christ
Galations 5:1, I have been set free in Christ
Ephesians 1:24, I am chosen, holy and blameless in Christ
Ephesians 2:10, I am God's workmanship
Colossians 3:12, I am chosen of God, holy and beloved
1 Thessalonians 1:4, God loves me and has chosen me
Let's make a comparison...
Irrelevant, inconsequential, unnecessary, unfit, undesirable
OR
Accepted, righteous, chosen, holy, beloved
I am relevant, because I am His.
Period, end of story, finito