Lots of web sites have suggestions about how to recycle old bras and panties into all sorts of interesting items. One suggests that as long as we are wearing clean underwear, we will never be without a coffee filter (No, seriously)! Are you kidding me? The stuff we’re wearing isn’t worthy of being a dust cloth, let alone a handkerchief or a purse!

Then someone told me to how to lighten my luggage, “Pack your oldest underwear.” she said. “Throw the used pair into the hotel wastebasket. Your suitcase gets lighter every day.”

I thought “Well that won’t take too much effort. All I own is old stuff.” So all my old underwear, with holes, elastic and faded colour went into my bag as I packed for my vacation.

Unfortunately, I happened upon Psalm 71:9 just before I left for the airport: “Cast me not off in the time of old age; forsake me not when my strength is spent.” Whew, closer study revealed that the psalmist was speaking about himself, not my old underwear!

At first, the discarding was embarassing, but I didn’t know anyone on the tour, and if the maid snooped, it served her right. Besides, I’d be in a new hotel the next day. The really hard part was buying new underwear to replace the old. I do not think I am alone. Can it be we wear loose elastic, threadbare, and stained because we don’t feel worthy of anything better?

Ladies, we are the daughters of the King. He calls us Beloved. That means we are Being Eternally Loved, Overwhelmingly Valued and Endlessly Dear. We should be returning the favour, not treating our old underwear as if it is the Beloved.

Instead of asking if you are worthy of your underwear, maybe I should be asking this: Is your underwear worthy of you?

– Brenda Wood, Heartfelt Devotionals

Printed with Permission. Copyright 2012