The Ugly Woman

Main Idea: God was willing to pay a high price to redeem you because He thinks you are valuable.

Verse: “You are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:31 NKJV).

Illustration: In Africa, a groom must pay a bride price to a woman’s father in order to marry a woman. Usually, this dowry might be four or five cows. If she is very beautiful or a good cook, her price is six cows. In one village, there was a woman who was very ugly and she was a horrible cook. No one wanted to marry her. But a man came to the village and fell in love with her. He went to her father and said, “I want to marry your daughter, how many cows do you want for her?” The father did not want to ask for much because he knew how ugly she was, but before he could answer, the man said, “I will give you 12 cows for your daughter because I love her.” A few years later, a beautiful woman came back to visit the village. It was the girl who had once been ugly. Once she knew she was worth 12 cows, she became very beautiful. God was willing to pay such a high price for us because to Him we are very valuable.