A lesson I learned about a person’s true value by watching my daughter interact with horses.
If you know me you know I LOVE horses. I find their presence so comforting and their innate knowledge and capability of reading people fascinating. I grew up around horses and enjoyed the simple pleasures that they give. For me, when I am stressed or anxious I find it grounding to go out to the horse pasture and take a moment to relax and connect with The Maker. When I am with horses life slows down, the stressors of life fade for a moment, and I become grounded.
My daughter has inherited my love (maybe obsession ) with horses. She LOVES spending time in the horse pasture. She dances and prances in the horse pasture, going off on some childhood chatter about horses and her passion for them.
Through the world’s view
Recently, we got two new horses, mother, and daughter. The daughter, Dusty, was injured as a yearling by another horse, years later she has an obvious limp. Because of this injury, she is not rideable. Her previous owner told me that after the injury she’s didn’t know what she could ever be used for, some horses that are not rideable due to injury do not have a happy ending. Dusty, she has the sweetest demeanor, very affectionate and very curious. But what catches everyone’s eye first is her obvious lameness, making people’s perception of her go down. I have heard people describe her as worthless. It’s as if Dusty knows her sore shoulder is her focal point that lures people near, she then disengages from interaction when people asses her injured shoulder, as if she’s saying, “PLEASE! Just see me for me and not my flaw. I can be much more than a sore shoulder and obvious limp.”
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Through a child’s eyes
What I love most about children is their innocence, they see the world as more than a glass half full but bubbling over and flowing out around the glass.. They look at things for all that life is, not what it isn’t. Children tend to see the true beauty of things rather than the sometimes critical ways of adults .
When my daughter enters the pasture she sees Dusty for who she is, her authentic, pure, true value. She doesn’t notice the limp or how Dusty compensates for her sore shoulder. Dusty drawers closer as my daughter tells her how she’s the best horse ever, how much she loves her and how good she is . “Mommy, Dusty is so beautiful, she’s my favorite”.
Dusty follows my girl around, apparent that she values time with her because she doesn’t see what everyone else sees. My girl sees her for who she is. Dusty basks in this attention knowing that it is pure and wholly meant. Dusty enjoys spending time with My daughter as much as she loves engaging in childlike play and laughter.
Finding True Value
As I was standing in the pasture witnessing this interaction I was taken back. Our Creature sees us as flawless. He sees our worth, our true value beyond what people see. The devil wants us to believe that we are less than, he wants to lower our value. But the Creator of the earth and humans
“For the
Lord your God is living among you.
He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Zephiniah 3:17 (NLT)
Watching my daughter and Dusty interact I am reminded of this verse. The LORD of love is living among us and delights in spending time with us. If we are anxious or insecure about our worth, He is with us to calm those fears. He longs to connect with you and me to show us our true value. Because in his eyes we are PRICELESS!
Thank-you for reading, I hope you found this devotional thought a blessing! If you did, please share!
