Old cars, clothes, instruments, and furniture are changed from old and obsolete to new and usable. When these old things are transformed, they become a part of our day-to-day life like they once were. Audrey Hepburn provokes us to think about people as more important than those “things” we make new.
“People, even more than things, have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed. Never throw out anyone.”
Over the course of our lives, we’ve all had experiences that have shaped us—good and bad. Some of us have lost parents, siblings, or friends who were very dear to us. Some of us have been battered and bruised—physically, emotionally, and mentally. If we were to take time to talk to everyone on campus, we would find that everyone has a story, some kind of hardship. Because of these experiences, we are broken. We feel obsolete. We feel unnecessary and unimportant.
As Audrey said, “People…have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed, and redeemed.”
When we define each of these actions, we find what we must be as broken people.
To restore is to bring back or reinstate a previous right, practice, or custom.
To renew is to resume after an interruption.
To revive is to bring back to life or consciousness.
To reclaim is to retrieve or recover something previously lost, given, or paid.
To redeem is to compensate for the faults or bad aspects of something.
Revisit that old car. Think of someone you know who has restored an old car to be used again. Maybe it was a Model T or an old ‘68 Impala. When they got the car, for example’s sake, it was rusted, the motor wouldn’t work, the muffler had fallen off, and the seats were torn. That car had been completely destroyed. It was in a junk yard. Suddenly a passionate owner comes along and takes that car because they see something in it. They pay next to nothing because of the shambles that car was found in. That owner proceeds to rebuild the car from scratch.
The car was reclaimed from a junkyard; it was bought again. Someone wanted it again. The car was redeemed through the reviving process of replacing parts, cleaning it up, fixing the seats, and redoing the paint in a way that it was completely restored, completely renewed, yet the actual body of the car, the car’s essence, was still intact. The car is restored back to the way it was, only better, because it’s now able to keep up with the newer cars because of a new motor. It’s a revel to any eye because people recognize that car’s make. It’s put on display and wins awards in shows, all because someone passionate, someone who really cared, took the time to make it new again.
You are more important than a car. Healing and restoring you is more important than a car. Someone wants you. The world needs you. Sure, you have some dents in you. Your paint is scratched, but there is someone who is passionate and caring enough to help you. They want to love you while you work through the pain, and they’ll love you even after the pain is healed. There is someone who wants to redeem you from the junkyard you feel is your life. There is someone who is waiting to revive you, to bring you back to consciousness; you don’t have to hide alone in your past pain. You can be made completely new while maintaining, and becoming more of, who you were created to be. Your life is meant to be lived. You are made for people to see you. You are a revel in your day. You are beautifully and wonderfully made.
You were made for a purpose, and what you have been through is helping to achieve that purpose. You will use your past in your healed future to help people. I believe that. I know that. When you are healed, you are to go back to help others who have been through similar situations. That is part of your calling.
As Audrey Hepburn finished the statement, “Never throw out anyone.”
They will always be worth something. You will always be worth something.