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Worth the Day

I listen to a lot of sports talk radio. Recently I heard a story about a player that was throwing a fit about being in trade talks. I guess he felt that was a bad idea. I’ve never been a professional athlete, but I suppose I can understand. If my church started trade talks with other churches and I was listed as tradable, I would be a bit concerned. I’d like to think that, as a youth pastor, I was worth at least two children’s pastors, but I’d probably go for future draft picks and some cash.

The MVP-status of my mind aside, this could be a scary prospect. After all, I have a family and a home. The thought of moving does not entice me. I don’t like to travel all that much anyway. So to have to take all my stuff with me only makes the travelling worse. I can imagine that professional athletes sometimes feel the same way. There is a fear attached when we feel lack of control.

But somehow I did not get the idea that fear was associated with this particular athlete. It seemed like it was more about pride. He didn’t say it in so many words, but the message that came across was that he was worth more to his team than possible trades would make it appear. I think it hurt his ego.

We’ve all been there. Trying to weigh just how much worth we have in our company, our school, our sports team, or even our group of friends. When our boss is pleased with a project we’ve completed, our stock goes up. When all our friends laugh at something we just said (and we meant to be funny), our stock goes up. Even in church we want to be seen as valuable for our input, our volunteering, and our time spent.

It’s sad that such a worldly attitude has infected the church, yet it is alive and well in so many churches. We can choose to ignore it, but when people leave over disagreements or when conflicts start over ministry schedules and music choices, it is our pride at stake.

We fight this way because our self-worth becomes one with our identity. But that’s not the way God intended our view of ourselves to be. Sin has infected us to the point that we struggle just to see where normal was. Let’s take a look at just how God made us.

Genesis 1 – God made man and woman and declared us to be good.
When we stumbled and sinned, God picked us back up (Redemption)
When Jesus paid the ultimate price on the cross, God was placing a value on us. He said that our lives were worth His.
The Holy Spirit gives us gifts. These gifts, though different, do not make us better or worse than anyone else. (1 Corinthains 12-14)

You’re not worthless. Quite the opposite. God has made you and crafted you to be very special. While you may never be seen as significant in the world’s view, you can rest assured that the Creator of the Universe is looking at you with loving eyes, longing for you to be content with who He has made you to be.

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