Back in the 1920s, a young girl was placed on an "orphan train" in New York City. She was one of a number of children who were part of a program for relocating unwanted orphans from the big city to small towns in the rural Midwest.

Although the adopting families received the orphans lovingly, many of their neighbors despised these children, thinking they were tainted by "bad blood." During a TV interview, a woman who was one of those orphans told about something that occurred shortly after her arrival. She was happily playing with a friendly neighbor girl when the mother came to the door and shouted angrily, "Mary, come into the house! I told you to have nothing to do with that scum!" Looking at the face of that now-elderly woman as she related this incident brought tears to my eyes.

As Peter described how God wants us to live in this world, he wrote, "Honor all people" (1 Peter 2:17). We do that by recognizing that each human life is a creation of God, a person whom He highly values (Genesis 1:27; 9:6). To despise others offends not only the person but also the Lord.

As we go through this day, let's reflect God's love by showing honor to all we meet.  —HVL  — Herbert Vander Lugt