I’ve been to my fair share of flea markets, antique malls or auctions. While they typically sport a grandiose billing – “Come see the Antique Extravaganza!” – they’re all much the same. Old stuff someone hopes they can make a buck off of.
It’s still fun to rummage through the dusty stacks of clutter, remembering the one you had just like it or trying to figure out what possible use an item could have had. Occasionally, you find a real treasure, which of course, keeps you coming back.
How Much?
What I’ve never been able to figure out is who sets the values on those things? “It’s worth whatever you’ll pay for it,” they say. But the line between “bargain” and “junk” isn’t always clear.
I wonder if Abraham’s two sons, Isaac or Ishmael, felt a similar confusion. Most of us do. It’s hard to place a true value on ourselves because all we’ve got to go on are ever-changing circumstances. How do you compare the blessings from one life to another? Should we expect life to be equal or fair?
It’s hard to tell how Ishmael or Isaac felt about the hand they were dealt. I know how I’d feel. Both received God’s blessing, yet it hardly seems fair.
You Are His Treasure
Resentment comes from our misguided attempts to place value on our own lives. We tend to compare, question or forget. Hidden insecurities lead us to assume our value is determined by the latest situation or our biggest failure. If God really loved me, how could this happen?
The truth is, our value has been established. While our journeys may be quite different, the Cross declares what God was willing pay for each of us. And that was an “as is” price, despite our obvious need for repair. Some might question that appraisal, but God never waivers.
The direction He takes with my life may not look anything like what he is doing in yours. I just know He wants to restore us to be just like Him. That process can be long and even painful.
That’s okay, we’re worth it.
by Andy Sims, Lifeline’s Leadership Development Director
