How Valuable Are You?
Unfortunately, there are many alive today who feel “worthless” and “insignificant”. For different reasons, they do not place much value on their lives or their souls. I hope that this article can reach as many of those individuals as possible.
How do you indicate the value of a given thing? The answer is found in how much one is willing to give to obtain such. Take for instance, an old watch. Let us say that the watch is a family heirloom that has been passed from generations before. To the family member that owns the watch, it holds extreme value. Even though, the watch itself is no longer working and has seen better days. It is the watch that your great-grandmother gave your great-grandfather on the day that they were married. One day, a friend of yours happens to see the watch in your home. He comments about how rough the watch appears, and the fact that it is no longer running. Casually he says, why are you holding onto that piece of junk? In that scenario, two different people have strikingly opposing opinions of the value of the watch. One would not give anything for it, while the other might not sell it for any price.
Now let us turn our attention to a spiritual application. How much value do you think God places on your soul? The answer is again found in what One would give. Perhaps the most well known Scripture in the entire Bible is John 3:16. Jesus stated, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). That is how much value God places on your soul! He gave His only begotten Son so that your soul could be saved. Jesus also said, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:17). To further demonstrate how much value God places on your soul, notice what Paul wrote to the church at Rome. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:6-8). God did not send His Son to die for the righteous, but rather the ungodly. We did not deserve such a great blessing. Even so, God loved and valued us so much, that He did it anyway.
If you are still not convinced that you are worth much, notice some great teachings of our Lord. “What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:4-10). Regardless of how many other souls will be saved, God cares about your soul. If you were the only person that ever lived, and thus became the only sinner of all time, God would still value you so much that Jesus would have died just for you.
Friend, you are not “worthless” or “insignificant”. On the contrary, you are a soul made in the image of God (Gen. 1:26). God places great value on you. Maybe it is time that you start valuing yourself the way that God does. I truly hope that all of us can see what our value really is.
~ Corey Barnette