Your Worth

How much are you worth?

The worth or value of something depends on how much one is willing to pay.  Money talks!  The parable of the Lost Sheep in Matthew 18:12-14, demonstrates the value God places upon the individual:

“What do you think?  If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?  If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.  So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.”

The shepherd left the ninety-nine to save the “one.”  He laid his life on the line to find one stray.  That’s what Jesus did for us!  It seems incongruous that God would invest in the safety of one lamb, unless that lamb is us!

Do you remember the story of the washed-up starfish? 

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement.

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”

This story beautifully summarizes the essence of the Gospel!  Jesus died for the world and the one!

Chemists tell us the human body in terms of chemicals is valued at six dollars and some change.  Life insurance companies say we’re worth more dead than alive!  The prostitute believes her worth is found in her ability to satisfy lust.  The gambler finds his worth in winning. Many people find fulfillment in what they do.  Their job determines their worth.  That’s why some retirees lose their sense of worth and die before their time. 

Athletes often feel undervalued when sidelined by age and declining abilities.  Once loud, cheering crowds now turn their applaud toward newer, active heroes.  In this case, statistics determine worth!

Real worth slides into oblivion when we play the comparison game.  Don’t compare yourself to others in terms of looks, finances, career, gifts, callings and abilities.  You alone bring worth to the table of life and God uniquely values you.  He created you in His image to experience fullness of life. 

If you fall short in any area, don’t minimize your failures.  Maximize your potential!  The tragedy of misguided worth is that it promotes extremes.  Some undervalue themselves.  They are the “let’s eat worms and die” crowd.   Others over value themselves.  Romans 12:3 says, “For the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think, so as to have sound judgment…”

Good self-worth is invaluable as you walk toward your destiny.  Remember, God went out of His way to seek you out and bring you to salvation.  On another occasion Jesus assured a man short in stature of his unique value when he said, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save that (one) which was lost” (Luke 19:10). That means you!