Around 90 years ago, in an effort to arouse interest in the game of baseball, cigarette manufacturers began producing cardboard pictures of some of the more renowned ball players in their cities. These “baseball cards” were packaged in with the cigarettes and sold to the public. However, Honus Wagner, the great Hall of Fame shortstop of the Pittsburgh Pirates, balked at having his image associated with a tobacco product. Wagner immediately demanded manufacturers stop producing his baseball card. As a result, Wagner’s card remains the most rare of all baseball cards and, subsequently, the most valuable. In September 1996, a near mint Wagner card was auctioned for $640.000 – a record for any item of sports memorabillia at auction.

In the card-collecting world, a card has peak value when it is in mint condition – perfectly square corners, a properly centered picture, etc. A card with frayed edges or creases diminishes in value corresponding to its imperfections. Thankfully, our value isn’t gauged in such a manner. Our Heavenly Father determined our value thusly: “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us,” (Romans 5:8). Try as we may, none of us can live “mint condition” lives – lives of perfection. Each of us has had our edges frayed and our luster removed. The Bible says much about the sinful condition of man. And yet, though we are sinful, God restores us. God doesn’t look at our rough edges and scoff; rather, He longs to sooth and comfort us. Through His abounding grace, we are restored to mint condition. No blemishes, no flaws…sinless before Him. Not because of what we’ve done, but all because of what He’s done. You are valuable in His eyes. Allow Him to restore you.

“Salvation belongs to the Lord; Your blessing be upon Your people!” — Psalm 3:8