Friday, November 11, 2016

What Are You Worth?


I ran across a job search website recently that has a tool called "Know Your Worth."  You enter some information about your previous experience, salary, and location, and the tool generates a number on the screen that estimates what you are "worth" in the job market.

Regardless of how high or low that number turns out to be, it is strange seeing any number that tells you what you are "worth."  But that's the world's view of your value, because from God's point of view, you are PRICELESS.

Matthew 10:29-31 tells us, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?  Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of  your Father.  And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  So don't be afraid, you are worth more than many sparrows."

To go deeper with this concept, what have others, or even yourself, told you what you're worth?  Have parents, friends, your company, or others led you to believe you are a failure?  Are inadequate? Don't have what it takes?  Aren't attractive? Not smart enough? 

What about your sins?  Are you ashamed of your past? Do you have secret sins that nobody else knows about, that they will never know about?  We all have those secrets, so do they diminish our worth, even in the sight of God? 

We know that Jesus forgives sins, but that just means he chooses to overlook them, right? What does God see when He looks at us?  It must be pretty hard for Him to look at us, what with all the imperfections, bad choices, sins, thoughts, mistakes, fears, and doubts we have.

But that view just isn't the truth.  The song "Priceless" by the band For King and Country does a great job of describing how God sees us when He looks at us:

I see you dressed in white
Every wrong made right
I see a rose in bloom
At the sight of you (Oh so priceless)
Irreplaceable, unmistakable, incomparable
Darling, it's beautiful
I see it all in you (Oh so priceless)

Do you really believe God sees you this way when He looks at His creation?  I'll admit I have difficulty grasping this truth.  I know anyone on earth who looks at me sees the flaws, sins, mistakes, and other imperfections of my life, and I would be ashamed if they knew everything I've done or thought. But amazingly, the God of the universe, who created you, knows you intimately, and knows everything you have done (and will do), still sees someone who is dressed in white, sees a rose in bloom, and is so happy He made you. 

Academically, we see in Scripture that God loves us, that Jesus died for our sins, and that we are new creations in Him.  But do you accept this in your Spirit? Do you live your life in full confidence of His love for you, no matter what you have done or will do? That God doesn't see your past, your sins, or what others say about you? 

Jesus saw YOU on the cross, and chose to die for YOU, so He could spend eternity in an intimate relationship with YOU.  Reflect on this truth and challenge yourself to answer how you really feel about what God thinks your worth, and open your heart to the truth that you are truly PRICELESS.   

"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ."
- Ephesians 3:17-18

"But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us." -Romans 5:8

-Adam Gellert
adamgellert.com

P.S. There are women and children around the world that are being sold at a price and don't understand what they are really worth.  Check out the Priceless Movement here to help combat human trafficking which is running rampant across the world.