Human Value

            Auctions are interesting events, not just to see the odd items that are being sold, but also to witness what some people are willing to pay for certain things.  Boxes full of miscellaneous house decorations would sell for a dollar or two and then a full-blown fight would erupt over an old rusty squirrel gun.  The fun part would always be in finding out the value people would place on what I personally considered to be junk.  And I know full well that they were thinking the same thing about the items I chose to bid on.  It would all be based on what the person was wanting or thought would be fun or decided to collect at that time period.

            Unfortunately, many people act the same way when it comes to their lives (or the life of someone else).  Values are placed on other humans using very strange reasoning and standards.  A person’s worth is usually based on their looks, or their ability to play a game, or the balance in their checkbook, or the car they drive, or the clothes they wear, or their willingness to participate in certain activities – and the list goes on and on.  And what’s worse, is that everyone’s opinion as to what is expected or important is different based on what they are personally looking for in their own lives.

            Jesus had a unique view of human life.  It was far different than man has come up with in all of history.  To Him, others were not valued based upon their usefulness to get what He wanted.  They were not “items” to be dealt with to build His sense of worth and value.  No, to Jesus, all people had a value that was priceless.  He saw them (us) as souls that were to be sought after, helped and cared for.  Therefore, His mission and purpose was to help all of us increase in value using the standard we were created to live up to – God Himself.

            With that in mind, the value you place on yourself and on others is sure to increase as well.  You will feel special.  You will view those around you as blessings to seek, nurture and praise God for.  The competition for attaining to the cruel standards of the world will vanish.  You will know that you are loved and that you are surrounded by the loving arms of God Himself.

            Can anything be more valuable than that?  So when you doubt about your value and your worth, just remember back to that dark day thousands of years ago when Jesus willingly hung on the cross so that God could remove your sins and have you back with Him.  That is the real standard of your worth.  God thinks you’re “priceless.”

Doug