Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Where Does Our Value Come From?


 
WHERE DOES OUR VALUE COME FROM?
Journey To Completion
 

    
Genesis 1:26-27
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.   So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God, he created them; male and female he created them."
 
 
    It seems like every time I sit down to write a blog or to say something, that God just reaches into my heart and pulls out part of me.  This is the case as I sit here writing this blog.  I just finished our Great Commission Ministry Update, which I was pretty candid about a huge need that we have and yet as soon as I finished it, I started wondering and doing some quiet reflection of where does our value come from?  Being in a faith-based ministry and watching our monthly income decreasing rapidly, maybe that is why I started questioning my value and where I get it from.  Is it money, family, friends, professional relationship or the work that my value comes from?  I knew but maybe I needed a "refresher course" from God.
    "Value is a personal quality. You can only be value by a person.  You can't be valued by an impersonal force."  Value is a human trait, thus yes I am repeating myself; it takes people or a person to make you feel valued.  Who values us? Where does my value come from? If I do matter, then how much or to who do I matter, and how much do I matter?  Have you ever thought about those questions, I know I have in the past and especially the last couple of months.
      I would first say I am valued by family and friends, or at least I think so.  When they call you, text you, or use social media to tell us we matter, our eyes brighten and our hearts are lifted.  A great example of how our family and friends are affecting our value is through the use of Facebook.  When we post something or it is our birthday (Now be honest with yourself), how many of us don't see how many like it, share it, write a comment or even just wish happy birthday. 
     Yes family and friends definitely affect our value, but there are definitely some problems with seeking our complete value here. 
  • It will NEVER be enough.  We will always want more.
  • Because of need for more, it could make us always need to be in a relationship.  We will need a relationship to validate our value.  Relationships are tough and take a lot of work to sustain, thus we could end up putting stress upon us and those we are in relationships with.
  • It makes us vulnerable.  People change.  Does that mean we are of less value?  A loss of a family or friend, who justifies our value dies or moves away, it can makes us vulnerable and feel like we don't matter. 
  • It can become a popularity contest.  Does it mean that more popular people are valued more?  If we are totally seeking our value from family and friends, then does it not make sense that the more popular person is the one of more value. 
    What if our value does not come from personal relationships, does it mean we are seeking them from professional relationships?    "If not from the love of our family and friends, then perhaps from the approval and esteem of our colleagues, our boss, our tutor or even a teacher. Perhaps it is our achievements, our productivity, our success, that will win the respect of others, and underwrite our worth."  As stated above the same problems exist with seeking our value from professional relationships. 
     But we MUST remember that value is a personal quality and I/we/you can only get it from a person.  Our value can ONLY COME FROM ONE PERSON OR RELATIONSHIP.  That person and relationship is God.  He is personal. He is Eternal. And He is Love.
      The advantages of getting our value from God are simple:
  1. Everyone can seek it and get it.  There are no elites, no popularity contests, no conditions.
  2. We don't have to earn it.  It is a free gift.  It was freely given.  God paid for it already through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Read John 3:16.
  3. There is no fear of not being of value.  God is not going to stop loving us.  He is love.  He is eternal.  He is never going to change.  His love is without conditions. 
  4. God is infinite.  The value we get from each other is short-lived while we are here, but God is will be there for us forever.  "The value we have in the mind and heart of God is infinite.  To whom do we matter and how much?  To God, and enough to die for us, as our anthem pointed out."
    Now I need to give you the one disadvantage of having our value grounded in God.  It is that we are demanded to share this truth with everyone and thus we MUST treat everyone with the same value that God as for us. 
    So when you are struggling like I have been with my sense of value, please understand that to God you are the most valuable, loved, prized and important person.  God sent His Son to reconcile the world and solidity our relationship with Him, but more importantly we MUST remember that Jesus came just from me....I am of value.