Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – September 24, 2015
Guest Writer: Meet my son-in-law Tripp Prince. We are blessed to have him as our guest writer.
For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8
In countless ways we live in a society that constantly assigns to us various levels of worth and status, from first class airfare to VIP access or a platinum membership. As human beings, we size ourselves up constantly, and in some ways, this is simply the economy of the world in which we live. However, those who follow Jesus Christ are invited into life in God’s kingdom, and in God’s kingdom priorities and values get turned upside down!
As we enter into God’s kingdom, we see that unlike the values of the world, God isn’t impressed by our wealth, our power, or our social status. In fact, he invites us to show the world what truly is of value and worth! In the Scriptures we are reminded time and time again that the worth of each and every human being comes, not from their intelligence or perceived value, but from the fact that they are created in the image of God and beloved by him.
The only requirement for anyone to enter into God’s kingdom is to respond in love to the love shown in Jesus Christ. This strikes at the very heart of the true value system of God’s economy. The only worth any human being has is the simple fact that they are loved by God and created in his image.
In light of the values of God’s kingdom, Paul’s words from Romans 5 are deeply significant. Jesus didn’t extend his love to us once we “had it all together,” once we had made a name for ourselves or proved our worth to him. No, God showed his impartial and all embracing love for us while we were still sinners. And here’s the hard part: if this is how God loves us, it should also be how we love one another!
It is easy for us to extend compassion and grace to those we find deserving of our love. How much harder is it to show the same care for those we struggle to love: for people we deem unworthy or unlovable? When we remember God’s love for sinners like us, it should soften us to extend his love to each and every person we meet. As Thomas Merton put it, “Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love.”
Prayer: Father, help us to love people the way you love them and remember that you alone are our source of worth.
Related Readings: John 13:34-35; Romans 12:10; Ephesians 5:2; James 2:1-17
Post/Tweet this today: The only worth any human being has is this simple fact: they are loved by God and created in His image. #WisdomHunters #What’sYourWorth?
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It is so true that we believe things that are contrary to the truth. Our culture saturates us daily with things like this and then when it is brought to the light, we can “flesh out” of the culturalism that attaches itself to us and we can put truth in, exchanging the culture concept for the truth. It is true that we do value people according to cultural say-so. But in light of a truth such as this, nothing cultural can stand in the place of knowing our worth is from God, simply-significantly blood bought by Jesus.
I wrote a book it is called The Bridegroom’s Voice. I know it is for a time such as this to “flesh out” these cultural untruth’s and exchange them for God’s Truth. If we are walking in wholly-holy alignment with God’s truth, our Bridegroom knows that His Bride will endure in purity until the end and bring Him great honor. Check out the vision for this book: http://www.thebridegroomscafe.com/listen-vision/
The Bridegroom IS Speaking To His Bride
Dear Kimberly~
Thank you for your wise and thought provoking comments about “fleshing-out” cultural views and replacing them with His Truth. You are so right – “nothing cultural can stand in the place of knowing our worth is from God, a simply-significant blood bought by Jesus”. Amen and Amen!!
In his devotional, Tripp summed it up so clearly when he stated,”The only worth any human being has is the simple fact that they are loved by God and created in His image”. Why is that so hard for us to remember at times?
The quote in the devotional from Thomas Merton was a powerful reminder that God loves us and we are sinners, then WHY shouldn’t we love others without “sizing them up” by their worth. WOW!
“Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business and, in fact, it is nobody’s business. What we are asked to do is to love.” (Thomas Merton)
We are thankful for Tripp and this enlightening devotional and Kimberly, we are thankful for you and the truth that you wisely stated.
I had a chance to go to your website and plan to go back on it and spend time reading about the Bridegroom and His Bride. It was very interesting and I am anxious to read more. Will look forward to the book, too.
Thank you again, Kimberly. May God bless you and yours.
Believing and trusting~
Gwynne
“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you, to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.”
2 Thessalonians 2:13