He wasn’t just ugly — he was hideous. The first dog I ever remember my dad bringing home was a full-on spectacle. He was the size of a rat, had random bald patches, and tiny crooked teeth that stuck out in a funny way.
I still remember the moment like a snapshot: Dad walked in holding a shoebox with a mischievous grin. I was clueless. My mom’s face, however, instantly dropped. Her hand went straight to her forehead, and she said “no,no,no why are you doing this to me!”
But when my dad gently lowered the box and I peeked inside, I locked eyes with a tiny, trembling, disheveled little creature. I was convinced I had never seen anything more beautiful in my life. I was four.
Naming him was my solemn duty, and after a week of deliberation, I decided on Yonky. He had clearly been through a lot. His patchy skin and bald spots resulted from his previous owners applying cow flea medicine on him. Sure enough, they got rid of the fleas, but they also almost got rid of the dog as well! My mom, however, being her gentle fixer, made it her mission to heal him. Slowly, his fur began to grow back, and so did his confidence.
“Ugly” Yonky became my little companion. I carried him like a doll, followed him everywhere, and smothered him with hugs. He went from being neglected and chemically burned to being wildly adored — perhaps too adored — by an overzealous, dog-obsessed preschooler. He was my most valued possession.
Beautiful in His Eyes
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and I believe that’s true. But even more than that — our value isn’t determined by how we look or what condition we’re in. We are already beautiful in God’s eyes. Our scars, wounds, and bald patches don’t disqualify us. If anything, they draw Him nearer.
God doesn’t recoil at the mess. He doesn’t flinch at our “ugly” history. He sees what others miss — the heart longing for healing, for love, for belonging. And just like Yonky found a home with us, we find ours in Him. He calls us His special possession, and no amount of brokenness changes that.
You are chosen!
You might feel like your past has made you unlovable. Maybe you see yourself through the lens of shame, failure, or even rejection — like that trembling little pup in the shoebox. But friend, God sees you as His. Treasured. Chosen. Beautiful.
He delights in you. So let Him carry you home. Let Him heal your wounds. And when you doubt your worth, remember this: you are His most valued possession.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession,
that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”
— 1 Peter 2:9
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