Things of Value

Have you ever taken a hike with a young child? I love the way they see things so differently than I. They find treasures along the path, maybe it is a colorful leaf that has fallen or a funny shaped stick or a shiny rock. These items have value in their eyes. These are precious, and they will let you know that when you try to tell them that these dirty items are not coming in the car with you. I am sure we were like this when we were young. We found value in the simple things, what happened?

I have been thinking about value a lot lately. What makes something valuable? Who gets to decide what is more valuable than something else? If you have a child older than 10, you know what I am talking about. Visualize this situation with me....two shirts, both the same color, shape, style and size, but one cost twice as much as the other and is sought after by all tween age girls. Have you been there? Who decided that the shirt with the small round logo was the BEST? These situations bug me and I try to get our children to see the value in spending our money wisely, and find something's true value, but that is not really what I want to focus on today.

I would like to focus more on who decides that some people are more valuable than others. Who decides that this person has much value, while this one does not? Why do we listen to those who devalue others? More importantly, who gets to decide whom is more valuable than someone else? 

This week one of our kids was setting up races and games to challenge the other children. Sounds fine, until we discovered that only the little ones were allowed to be part of the challenge. So, this child was basically guaranteeing that they would always win and the little ones would always loose. When investigating the situation a bit more, we discovered that the driving force behind these activities was the need to feel important and valued. Our child has noticed that they are not fast or skilled athletically like their school friends. In their mind, that translated to not being as valuable as others in their class. It broke my heart. 

I read an article a few weeks ago that basically proclaimed that I was "mindless," "infantile," and a "masochist." At first, I was very angry and frustrated that women whom spend their energy yelling that we have a choice, resort to name calling when I choose to make a different choice than them. But after my anger subsided, I began to think about my value. My value is not determined by a group of feminists who truly know nothing about me or what I do. To be perfectly honest with you, I don't think any of those ladies would last more than 1 day doing my "job," much less making our home run successfully year after year. I had fallen into the same trap as my child. I was allowing someone else determine what made me valuable.

At the time when Paul was writing to the church in Ephesus, there were many that had lost their value. The Roman Empire had decided and enforced, that the Jews were of lesser value than the Romans. The Jews had decided that the Gentiles were of lesser value than them. Almost everyone had decide they were more valuable than the lepers. It seems that very few people had any true value. In Ephesians chapter 2 Paul assures us all that we are valuable. He uses one of my favorite phrases...."But God!" But God chose those with no perceived value and raised them up and seated them in the heavenly places in Christ. Later in the same chapter, Paul tells us that we "are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit." I don't know about you, but I think a dwelling place for God is pretty valuable!

We all need to know that we have value. Unfortunately we seem to live in a society that spends more time telling us we are not valuable. They tell us we are not pretty enough, skinny enough, smart enough, athletic enough or we don't have the right type of home, job, car or friends. I am here to proclaim, that these things do not determine ones value.

My child may not be athletic, but they are valuable because they are fearfully and wonderfully made. They are valuable because they were knit together by God in their mother's womb. They are valuable because they are a precious gift from God for me and our family. In the same way, I may not work at a fortune 500 company, but I am still valuable because I am part of the chosen people and God's special possession. I am valuable because God has declared me to be. I am valuable because I am investing in the precious children that God has blessed us with each and everyday.

Let me encourage you today to stop listening to the world around us. I pray that you and your children will find your value in the promises and love of God. No matter what hardships you are currently facing or names that are being thrown your way, YOU ARE a precious child of God that has been blessed with many talents and abilities. He loves you, calls you His own and desires for you to know that YOU are VALUABLE!

Here are some of the scripture verses I referenced in today's post: 1Peter 2:9; Psalm 139:13-14; Ephesians 2:22; Ephesians 2:4 and 6; Matthew 10:21; Matthew 12:12; and John 10:3.