The Value of Things

April 24th.
At one point in our house search we made an offer on a house that had been on the market for over 500 days. This house was priced higher than what we wanted to spend and when we looked at all of the details we decided that it was priced higher than what it was actually worth. So, in real estate lingo, we made a “low ball” offer which was, not so promptly, rebuffed. My Dad used to always say that things were only worth what someone was willing to pay. We (buyers and seller) had a difference of opinion about value.

This difference of opinion actually moved us to make an offer on an alternate house that, it ends up, will be our future home. So, we are convinced that this whole part of the process was God directed.

As we prepare to move we have been living out a different kind of “value” experiment. Our Denomination pays to move the first 12,000-pounds of our stuff and after that we get charged something like 39 cents for each additional pound. A representative of the moving company has already estimated that our load will be 14,000-pounds which means that we have to dispose of a ton of stuff. The bottom line is that “valuable” things have a place in a moving box, things that don’t matter end up in the garbage or in a bag headed for Good Will.

When you are forced to sort through your entire life you begin to realize (rather quickly) that “value” has very little to do with how much money something can generate. We have already given away items that cost us hundreds of dollars to buy and then, in contrast to that, there are pieces of paper covered with crayon marks that I would never sell for any price. Value is an interesting thing.

I often say that if you want a sense of how valuable you are all you have to do is look at the cross where Jesus died. Jesus came to save us from our brokenness to sin and to bridge the gap between God and us. The price required to accomplish this miracle of salvation was Jesus’ life. This is how much God was willing to pay and subsequently this is how much you and I are worth to Him.

This value conversation is worth spreading around. Everyone should hear that they are important enough to God that He was willing to surrender Himself to the cross. I mean, once people understand the incredible price that was paid for them maybe they will begin to live like they are people of value. Then maybe those valuable people will begin to treat the people around them like they are valuable as well. Value is an interesting thing. It can change the world.