Last fall I shared with you how my wife and I adopted two kittens. They are Manx brothers and quite adorable.
Their personalities are very different. Milo is full of energy and wants me to play with him all the time – to the point he can be quite obnoxious about it.
Max, on the other hand, is very docile. He loves to be held and cuddled – especially by my wife. Max absolutely loves my wife and can’t seem to get enough of her.
My wife practices the piano a couple of hours every day. When Max wants attention, he will jump up on the piano bench and sit beside her. If she keep practicing, he will crawl into her lap.
If she still continues to practice, he will then put a paw on each of her shoulders and rub his face all over hers, forcing her to stop practicing to pay attention to him. Both are content.
More by Mark Broadhead: FROM THE PULPIT: Be present for those who are grieving
Feeling loved and content is what most of us in life are seeking. We want to know that we are loved and cared about.
I believe this is why there has been such a focus by people demanding to be recognized as being part of a particular group of people: Republican, Democrat, vegetarian, vegan, LGBTQA, and the list goes on.
To me, this sounds like a cry that says, “I am somebody! I am a person of worth! Don’t disregard me!”
The truth of the matter is, everyone is a person of worth! Every person is a child of God and worth a great deal to God.
If you question that, take a look at what is being celebrated tomorrow – the resurrection of our Lord. Jesus, the Son of God, was willing to die on a cross to prove God’s deep love for everyone.
Jesus suffered and died, but God raised him from the dead three days later. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God.
Jesus is still, to this day, the friend of sinners, calling each person to recognize their great worth, admit to him the things that have kept them from following him, and to follow his ways of living and treating others.
Easter is the celebration of new life, of turning from past poor behavior, of recognizing your true worth in God’s heart.
Just as Max likes to cuddle with my wife and feel loved, so does your soul seek the same from God.
Celebrate Easter, the resurrection of our Lord, by acknowledging your desire for God’s love. Ask him for it, and feel it surround you.
The Rev. Mark Broadhead is pastor at Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church and First Presbyterian Church of Crestview.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: FROM THE PULPIT: Every person is a child of God