It seems to me that when I was growing up the 11th commandment from my parents was, “waste not - want not.” As depression era adults, they were not only savers but also environmentalists. Everything had potential value, if not obvious intrinsic value. Living simply, frugally off the land as much as possible was one way to honor God and creation.
Today, I put up a batch of watermelon rind pickles, taking the parts of a watermelon that I might otherwise discard and turning them into the sweet pickles I remember as a child. The kitchen faucets are adorned with assorted plastic bags that I have rinsed out to use again. Scrap pieces of board serve as cooling racks. Yesterday, I picked some chokecherries, bitter little berries that grow wild in northern Minnesota but can be turned in to a wonderful jelly. An ice cream pail made a great bucket and my hat worked for the overflow. There is something satisfying about enjoying the wonders of what God has given us in creation and taking time to not only appreciate it but to make the most out of it. I guess those family values are still with me but they also remind me of how God must see each of us.
We worship a God who is always recycling, re-purposing, renewing us. God sees our intrinsic value and potential worth even when it isn't obvious to us. Each day we are re-purposed to share God's love. We are never discarded or used up. Instead, God our creator has called us to re-create - to take what is given to us and make the most of it, to celebrate simplicity in the midst of a complex world.
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