Damaged Goods
Bent and dent
What some folks consider damaged goods are merely containers that have been mishandled. The “bent and dent” store I like to visit has many grocery options to purchase. It also has a section of items with bents and dents. There’s nothing wrong with the contents, and the expiration date is valid. Because of the bents and dents, most folks don’t want to purchase the items. The bent and dent items are discounted – for quicker sale.
Dropping a can on the floor can create a dent. It doesn’t change the contents even though the outside is “damaged”. We tend to judge a book by the cover, a can by the lack of dents, and a person by a first glance. Yet, that tells us nothing of what is inside the book, container, or person. We know little by a first glance.
Folks who have a “past” tend to feel less worthy of God’s grace. We tend to allow our past to define who we are. To define means to determine or identify the essential qualities or meaning. It’s true that we define ourselves by the choices we make. It is important to make good choices now, in spite of poor choices in our past.
Immorality
Living under God’s grace does not give us license to sin. Our sexuality belongs to God and not to ourselves or someone else. Our body is a temple for worship; therefore, sexual sin constitutes a sin against the body. My friend felt since she “lost” her virginity because of date rape, she had nothing to save for her future husband. Her lifestyle showed that – until she came face to face with the lies she listened to from Satan.
We cannot change our past, but we can change our present and our future when we choose to live in victory today. Nor can we undo the past, or can we wipe away the pain and trauma of our past. We can live in redemption, free from the sins of our past. Scripture says we are to flee immorality. Sexually immoral sins are against our own body. It doesn’t matter if anybody else knows; it doesn’t matter if we are retaliating for wrongs done to us. What matters is that God says we are to flee sexual immorality.
You know the best way to flee immorality? Geography. Put distance between yourself and the temptation. You can’t dangle on the precipice if you don’t get near the edge. You can’t give in to the fruit if you stay away from the forbidden tree. Handle your morality with care, and you won’t get bent or dented.
While you may have been bent and dented, that experience still does not need to define you. There is redemption and forgiveness at the Cross, but you must go there.
Immortality
It matters not what we believe and practice because that does not change truth. We are created to live forever. That’s immortality. God created us for immortality. He did not create us for immorality. Satan wants to convince us that our bents and dents make us hopeless. He wants us to think there is no way out – no redemption – for damaged goods. Oh, but there is! In Christ, there is hope! There is hope because there is forgiveness at the Cross.! Too many people believe the lie that they are worthless because they are “damaged goods.” With God, nothing is impossible.
Many of us who are believers have secrets hidden in our closets. We try to hide the dents and dings instead of admitting they are part of our past. We allow embarrassment to prevent us from coming clean. We’re always looking over our shoulder, wondering who else knows, and if or when someone will spill the beans. Somehow we can’t seem to live in victory. We have a reputation to maintain, and we do it at great cost – to our shame. What a sad way to live!
Jesus takes what is crimson and makes it white as snow. Our Redeemer takes what is crooked, and makes it straight. He changes darkness to light and gives sight to those spiritually blind. He does this, because He created us for immortality.
Let Him change your bents and dents and redefine your future. Redemption is what He came to bring. Let Him.
