By Morris Vickers.
This question may be answered with another, “Who wants to know?” If the IRS is asking, relative to our income, we attempt to decrease everything as much as possible. If we are asking for a loan we increase the value of what we have.
An older, wealthy man shared this story. His singular goal in life was to become a multi-millionaire. He imagined this goal as like climbing a sheer cliff wall. One hand on the rock above him, one at a time, inch by inch climbing higher. He said “After spending virtually my entire adult life struggling to get to the top, I was at last able to reach up and grab the top of the cliff. And do you know what I saw from up there? Absolutely nothing worth what it cost in other areas of life.”
As believers, we answer the question in an entirely different way. Jesus told us, “a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15 NIV). Our valuation method of worth is different. We value our Life Worth rather than our Net Worth.
So, what is our Life Worth? Paul reminds us, “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, NASB). John adds, see how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are”. (1 John 3:1, NASB).
There was a time, while in college, when because I did not have the money, the electricity was turned off at the house. Knowing the difference between the two ways of assessing my worth has been an encouragement during difficult financial times as well a caution against pride in prosperous days.
How do you feel you are doing in living according to Life Worth?
Morris and his wife, Twyla, recently joined Grace Hills. Morris has been in full-time ministry for many years, serving as a pastor to several churches and a lengthy tenure as an associational Director of Missions in Maryland.