Beauty In The Ugly

Cockroaches just may be the most disgusting creatures on our planet.  Millions of dollars are expended annually in efforts to rid homes of these loathsome insects.  But researchers at North Carolina State have discovered a huge value for these pests, as "first responders" in disasters such as earthquakes.  Outfitting Madagascar cockroaches with electronic backpacks (which include antennas, batteries, cameras and microphones), scientists hack into the bugs' nervous systems, steering them remotely into the tiniest of openings-- a crucial step toward finding survivors of earthquakes or bombings.  One researcher told ABC News (9/13/12), "Somewhere in the middle [of tons of rubble] your kid is crying," and huge machines are "not very efficient" at finding him.  (Source: Daybreaks, 10/22/12).  So, bring in the cockroaches!

At times we're all confronted with areas of life where we feel ugly and unworthy. Perhaps it's our physical appearance, a sin we struggle with or a personality trait.  Satan, of course, is a master at convincing us that we're disgusting "cockroaches" in God's eyes.  But God has a completely different perspective.  God wants you to know that he sees value and beauty, even in our ugliness. 

In Numbers 24, the king of Moab had hired a prophet named Balaam to curse God's people.  Yet try as he might, the Holy Spirit would not allow Baalam to do that.  Positioning himself on a cliff overlooking Israel's encampment, he opened his mouth to curse them, and God put these words on  his tongue, "How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel! Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like cedars beside the waters" (verses 5-6).  What an amazing poetic description of the beauty God sees in his people!  If you know anything about Israel, they continually furnished the Lord with ample reasons for him to see them as disgusting "cockroaches".  But when he looked upon them, he didn't see their ugliness, he saw great beauty and value. 

This is every bit as true for us today, as it was for Israel.  Romans 8:1 proclaims, "there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."  In Christ, God doesn't see us as disgusting creatures; we're his precious children.  Satan is "a liar and the father of lies." (John 8:44) So expect him to attack your identity. The next time Satan tries to convince you that  you're nothing but a cockroach to God, remind him of the great value and beauty that even cockroaches possess.