Many stores have a clearance or sale area where products that are not in “pristine” condition are offered at a reduced price. Appliance stores often have “scratch and dent” items for sale as well. These items have enough worth to be offered for purchase, but are considered of less value due to the damage.
I recently came across the saying and it kept nagging at me. When that happens I often have to write down my thoughts. Sifting through them allows me to gain some clarity as to why they keep popping up in my mind.
I think it is because we often see ourselves or others as damaged goods. Maybe it’s due to a rough childhood, or a lost love, some may have experienced some trauma in their lives they aren’t over, or have a health condition. Maybe it’s pain they’ve caused someone else. The result leads to a belief of not being good enough or measuring up. And because of that, we might see people, or ourselves, as less than and not as valuable. The focus is on the damage.
I would like to suggest we look more at the second word in the saying. We typically tend to overlook the good. I believe most people are born good and remain inherently good throughout their lives. I’m not saying we never do bad things or make mistakes, none of us is perfect. In our current culture, however, there is often an either/or mentality. I believe both are often true.
To be human is to suffer, to fail, to hurt others and even ourselves. There is no escaping it, we’re all bruised and wounded, some more than others. Yet we can bear witness to all the pain and suffering in each of us and still see and acknowledge the good.
As we approach a new year, my hope and prayer is that we do just that. We journey through each day and when we recognize damage in not only ourselves and others, we shift our eyes and minds to not only seek the good, but to honor the good.
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