How do we measure worth?

I read a blog today that was talking about our snap judgments about people based on first appearances and how erroneous those could be. It was a good blog article and showed a You Tube video in which people were completely challenged in their snap judgments about a woman. I'm going to include the link to the video here because I think it is a video absolutely worth seeing.

However, it got me thinking in a different direction and that is what I want to write about today.
I don't want to spoil the video for those who haven't seen it yet, so just know that I'm about to tell you what I saw watching it. I saw a group of people who were laughing and making fun of a woman because she was unattractive. They made judgments, not only about the woman's appearance, but about her person based on what they saw. More than that, they discounted her, wrote her off because she didn't have what they valued. They felt justified rolling their eyes, whispering to each other, snickering in a way that she could hear and be hurt by their behavior. Then she began to sing, and their behavior towards her changed once they saw that she actually did have some talent, once she was recognized as having something that they valued. Frankly, I found this every bit as disturbing.

What if, instead of the beautiful voice that came out of a woman that many might consider unattractive, what if instead the voice fit the vessel? What if she was an unattractive woman with an unattractive voice? What if it was worse than that? What if she was also a socially awkward, unable to fit in, un-gifted and unlovable person? Would it then be acceptable to laugh at her and "dis" her and judge her? Would it then be okay to be rude and hurtful to her in this public place and in this public way?

I can hear the retorts, "well, she signed up to come to this talent contest." Okay, yes she did. So are we saying that the only people worthy enough to try to reach for their dreams are people who have a chance of succeeding at them? That everyone else deserves or at least should expect torment and ridicule because of their very attempts?

My faith tells me that each of us is valuable and worthy simply because we are loved by the Divine, or by the Universe, or by God or whatever name you want to give the power that brought us into being. That is not dependent on having a talent. That is not dependent on being "likeable" or attractive. But our actions towards others say otherwise.

My challenge for all of us is to try to remember that we are all worthy of love. My challenge for all of us is to try to move away from needing people to prove themselves in order to be let in to our circle of care. My challenge for us is not to just give the unattractive woman with a good voice the standing ovation, but to give the unattractive woman with a lousy voice a standing ovation, too - just for having the courage to reach for a dream, just for being alive, just for being a part of God's good and amazing creation.