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VALUE
“But, if we
walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship
with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son
cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
The word "faith" is offensive to a
lot of people. "I want
to see and touch and hear God, and only THEN will I believe,"
is the shout of many. And yet, if we did not have
faith, we would not continue to be alive, for faith is necessary
to life. If you, for whatever reason, decide you don’t
believe in cars, you may no longer be able to drive to a
market (if you believe in markets) to buy the food you and
your family needs to live. Faith is something we do,
without understanding that we do it. We continually
trust in money, in our strength or the strength of others,
believing they have the ability to do what we need, and
therefore we regard temporary things as having lasting value.
While in Washington, DC, a short time
ago, we took several tours, including one through The Bureau
of Engraving and Printing (their motto: “The Buck Starts Here”), where we saw the process
of making money. Great wheels turned inside large
printing machines, forcing ink onto sheets of paper interwoven
with cotton, ultimately cut into what we call "dollars"
or "five dollar bills" or whatever denomination is needed
at the moment.
On my return to Southern California,
someone asked about the Bureau of Engraving and Printing:
"Did you see any gold?"
and my response was "No"
(gold is kept at places like Fort Knox) – But it got me
thinking about the nature of money itself (it’s not backed
by gold anymore), and then about value – What is “value”?
What is a dollar worth? Actually
– nothing! I mentioned to the person who asked the
question: “dollars have no value
at all, except we AGREE that if I give you so many dollars,
you will give me so much gasoline, or bread, or whatever
in return”. Even the gold that formerly "backed"
dollars and other currencies has no real worth. It's
just metal taken from rock and is “valuable” because we
agree (have faith) that it does. I have faith in you
and you have faith in me, that if I give you a dollar, it
has value, because we agree that it is so.
Back in The Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, we saw a comparison of the relative "value" of
Canadian Dollars, Japanese Yen, the Euro and so on.
We have FAITH that a number of Euros are worth so many dollars,
just because we BELIEVE it.
The Tour Guide at the Bureau told us
about the process in which dollars are "retired" from circulation.
As I understood his words, Commercial Banks notify the Bureau
on a periodic basis that a certain amount of one, five,
ten, twenty, fifty and one hundred dollar bills are "worn
out" - they no longer have value. So, new bills are
printed to replace the old, and they DO have value, just
because we believe it.
The Bureau Guide told us that one hundred
forty million ($140,000,000) is typically the amount of
money within The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and we
saw, through glass, impressive stacks of money that helped
us to believe him. But why is it impressive? And why
is it true? Why does it have any meaning or value
at all? Today, it SEEMS to have substance, but the reality
is that all money, all gold, diamonds and other "valuable"
items, are just paper, cotton, ink, and rocks, except that
we close our eyes and wish for these substances to be "real,"
and for just a moment in time, they are!
Now, FAITH in these items can DO things.
We can take a piece of plastic called a "credit card" and
feed, clothe and house a number of people. Lives can
be saved through medical research that is "paid" for by
plastic and paper that has no value, except that we wish
it did, and therefore it does. In that context, tithing
(giving to others as God leads) makes sense, because we
give something of no value, and God rewards us with real
value in return (“Give and it shall
be given to you” – Luke 6:38).
I have personally seen that you can
lose your plastic, paper, cotton and ink, and God will bring
you through anyway. You can lose it all, and He will
still provide all that is needed for life and honor, warmth
and health. Our need is to learn to place our faith
in the Provider of all good things, instead of in the things
themselves.
Again, what is “value”? Webster’s
“New Collegiate Dictionary” includes the meaning, “a fair return or equivalent on goods, services, or money
for something exchanged.” We pretend that money
is intrinsically valuable, but it is not. Every day,
Commercial Banks notify the Bureau of Engraving and Printing
that so many millions of dollars are worn out – they no
longer have value and are “retired” (shredded and destroyed).
Webster’s has another definition of value: “Something… intrinsically valuable or desirable… instead
of human.”
Something REALLY valuable; something
MORE than merely “human” – THAT’s what is really important!
We need Him who is infinitely greater than our sad pretensions.
If you think about it, FORGIVENESS
has value. To be clean again, to have fellowship once
more, is so valuable that it’s priceless. Alexander
Pope said, 300 years ago, “To
err is human, to forgive divine.” Humans forgive
for awhile, but incompletely. Like money, forgiveness
wears thin, because those who are forgiven tend to “err”
again.
Have you considered the cross of Jesus
Christ? Our Scripture verse for today concludes with
the surprising words, “the blood
of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin”
(1 John 1:7). Through your job, if you have one, you
are given money (or something) in exchange for your time
and efforts. The money will last for awhile and then
it is gone. You must work again. Similarly,
human forgiveness does not last. But, “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all
sin” (1 John 1:7). In Him, we are given true
FORGIVENESS that outlasts this life; indeed, He makes us
CLEAN for all eternity.
The theologian Karl Barth said, “When the Christian looks back, he is looking at the forgiveness
of sins.” When you look back in your life,
what do you see? If you have received Christ, you
have been given Value that will last – forever. If
you have not received Him, you have nothing lasting at all.
Thank you, Lord, for dying for me.
Thank You that You paid for my sins in full with Your blood.
“The wages of sin is death”
(Romans 6:23), but You died in my place. Thank You,
Lord, for giving Your Life, that I might live. I trust
in You now. In Jesus Name. Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.FridayStudy.org
www.FirstChurchontheNet.org
www.BlessedHands.org
E-mail:
Ron@FridayStudy.org
Tel: (562) 688-5559
PO Box 92131
Long Beach, CA 90809-2131
"While we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us" (Romans 5:8)
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