FEBRUARY 27, Romans 5:8

“Mommy!” wailed Peggy one day. “Ducky’s gone! Bob took him. I know he did!” Ducky was a stuffed toy, and although the little duck was no longer pretty, Peggy loved it dearly. She didn’t care that its fluff was all rubbed off and it was limp and faded. Her brother, Bob, on the other hand, thought it was awful, and he called it “The Ugly Duckling.”

Mom called Bob into the room and asked him if he knew where Ducky was. Bob grinned. “That thing is gone?” he asked. “Good riddance! But don’t look at me, I don’t know anything about it.”

“Well, then we’ll all help look for Ducky,” said Mom, and the search was on. They looked everywhere but Ducky could not be found.

A couple of days later, Mom had a talk with Bob. “Have you noticed that Peggy is still very unhappy over losing Ducky?” she asked. “Yeah!” said Bob in disgust. “I never thought she’d feel so bad about that dumb old thing made of rags and sawdust. How can anybody love anything so ugly?”

Mom smiled. “We never can account for the things we love,” she said. “Actually, Peggy’s love for the Ugly Duckling, as you call him, is like God’s love for us. In a way, all of us are ‘ugly ducklings,’ too, but God still loves us. We’re all ugly sinners-for example, some of us tell lies.”

Bob’s face turned red. “I… I…” He didn’t know what to say. “I… I lied about Ducky,” he admitted. “I hid him. He’s on the top shelf in my closet.” Mom nodded. “I saw him there this morning,” she said. “How do you think God feels about that?”

“I… I never thought about how He feels, or of myself as an ugly duckling,” said Bob. He hesitated. “Do you think God loves me anyway,” he asked, “like Peggy loves The Ug-I mean, like Peggy loves Ducky?”

“He loves you much more than that,” Mom assured him. “He loves you so much that He sent Jesus to take the punishment for your sins. He wants to cleanse you and make you His child.” She gave Bob a hug. “You don’t have to be like an ugly duckling anymore.”

Thought: Thank You, Lord, that I am no longer unwanted and unloved.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us and despite the fact that we have sinned, and that sin is ugly, You still love us. Help me to appreciate that love, and to return that love by being faithful to You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.