Fearfully and Wonderfully Made

Fox News had a recent story of a possible serial killer, as evidence by the discovery of the remains of three victims.

They are, as follows:

"...48-year-old Jewel King, who vanished in April 2006; 41-year-old Verdell Jefferson, who was reported missing in August 2006; and 43-year-old Dorothy Botts, who was last seen on Christmas Day of that year."

They had died 12 years ago.

While not explicitly stated, I believe that these pictures of the ladies are police mugshots, based upon tone, direction, and style.

I almost missed this story.

I also almost dismissed this story.

Except that my entire work week is ministering to people like these.

I can hear the epithets used now.

"Crack Whore". "Slut". "Welfare Queen." "Stoner". "Hooker." "Thief". "Trash". "Parasite".

Those are the repeatable ones.

The world may look at these ladies with disdain.  One can hear the collective sigh of dismissivness.

"No biggie, no big waste. No one will miss them."

The world finds nothing endearing about them. They didn't care for themselves, why should we?

But these are exactly the people Jesus was referring to in Matthew 25:40: "’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’" (ESV)

And just in case you might think that Jesus was just rambling, remember who He hung out with.

Hookers (Mary Magdalene). Thieves (Levi the Tax Collector, Judas Iscariot).

He was genuinely concerned about the Least of us. He commanded us to Love them.

And so I do. Probably not as well as I should sometimes, but at least I am aware.

I am aware that these ladies were also "Daughters". "Mothers". "Sisters". "Wives". "Friends".  I am humanizing them because that is exactly who they were; human beings created in God's Image and loved by other human beings.

And deserving of being loved simply because of that fact. The fact that they were knit together in their mothers' wombs. Fearfully and Wonderfully made.

Don't miss that!