Value

Value is a silly thing.

Try explaining it to a kid. They see a shiny coin and will think that it must be far more valuable than a floppy piece of paper.  If you take a three year old and give them a choice between a shiny penny and a five dollar bill, chances are they're going to grab the penny.

They don't see the value in cash like we do.  They don't know the understood value behind the dollar bill; they just see a worthless scrap.

It's similar to the fact that we, the western culture consumers that we are, throw out tons of perfectly good "garbage" while holding onto other items for dear life.

It's not always about a monetary value, though.  I'd be much more okay with someone stealing my television than I would my box of childhood memorabilia.

It all depends on what we determine has value.

In this day and age, we're quick to rip away the value from anything that has been cracked, stained, broken, tarnished.  While our parents and grandparents would whip out the glue, duct tape and wd-40, we are just as quick to trash it and move on to the next.

Sadly, we do that to ourselves as well.  When we fall, make mistakes, or don't reach our lofty goals, we deem ourselves worthless.  We strip ourselves of all value.

God wants us to discover this crucial truth:  He has created us! And then recreated us when we made a mess of ourselves.  Ephesians 2:10 says we are God's masterpiece, a new creation in Christ Jesus, who made us for good  things he planned for us long ago!  There is such hope in these words.

God has created you intentionally. Specifically with the values that He has placed in you.  He knew you were going to screw up.  He knew that you would fail.  He knew people would criticize you and mock you, and cause you to doubt that what He had created in you was real.  He knew you would twist your values and use them for purposes that weren't His.  He knew that you would try to ignore the values He's given you and run as hard as you could in the other direction.

But the truth is, the reality of who you are, the values placed in you by God himself, cries out to be heard.  I know they have in me.

I've been lucky enough to have counselling that has really been life changing for me (I recommend it to everyone).  One of the biggest things I've gained from counselling is learning what my values are. How God has wired me.  They are the characteristics that I feel are most important (therefore put the most value in).  For me, they are: compassionate, creative, visionary, and faithful.

I realized when I tried to ignore the values God had placed in me, I was miserable and angry.

I read a quote yesterday that really hit me.  It's a C.S. Lewis quote, in the voice of the mighty lion, Aslan. He says:
             "You doubt your value. Don't run from who you are."

How much time do we spend doubting and running, instead of believing and embracing?

When God redeems us, He does it because He loves us. He has place a value on us that goes far beyond what we could ever earn through our own effort. It is because He said it is.

So don't doubt your value.  Don't run from who you are.

God is working in you.  And when He has started something, He always finishes it.