Yesterday Connie mailed off Jasmine’s hair to the company who will make her wig. When she was filling out the form describing what was inside the package, she was asked to give a monetary value.
“There is no box for priceless,” she said.
Before Jasmine’s hair was cut off at her party, it was carefully tied together in multiple places. It was tied with an elastic band up high close to the head, and then again halfway down to gather it together. Jasmine held the pieces tightly in her hand while the rest of her hair was shaved off. The whole purpose of preserving the hair was to make a wig, so we couldn’t risk messing this part up.
Shortly after the head shaving, Jasmine handed the hair to my five year-old daughter to hold, which, I’m assuming, was because she asked if she could hold it. The second I saw Brielle holding the hair, I jumped up and yelled, “No! Give it back! I don’t want to be responsible for this hair!” Although my reaction may have been a bit dramatic, her hair was worth too much that I wasn’t willing to risk putting it in the hands of a five year-old.
As much as Brielle had good intentions of holding the hair, she was ill-equipped to be in charge of something so important. Who is worthy of holding something of so much value in their hand? If we know how precious Jasmine’s hair is, can we even imagine how priceless SHE is?
“Consider the ravens: they don’t sow or reap; they don’t have a storeroom or a barn; yet God feeds them. Aren’t you worth much more than the birds? Can any of you add one moment to his life span by worrying?” Luke 12:24-25
The task was too big for a five year-old to handle, just like Jasmine’s health and well-being is too big of a task for us to handle. We are ill-equipped on our own to be in charge of something worth so much. Only God is capable of holding Jasmine and being in charge of her life; Only He is worthy of holding a priceless child in His hand.
We don’t take risks with things we love because we can’t risk losing them. We are careful to be attentive to every detail and keep them safe. Like a parent holding their child’s hand to cross a busy street, we wouldn’t allow them to run across unattended because we don’t want them to get hurt.
We can’t risk putting Jasmine into our own hands because we might (and probably would) mess it up at some point. Only God is worthy of holding each of us in His hand because He is trustworthy, 100% of the time. He won’t risk our safety.
We cannot be responsible for her, but we can petition to the One who IS.
“Do not fear for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Beautiful words and thoughts, Jessie. Jasmine is indeed priceless and God loves her even more than her parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. She is His and priceless in His eyes. We can’t ask for anything greater than that.