It’s Christmas time, which means we’re all busy with the gift-giving thing. This can be really cool or really horrible. Carol and I have a large family, which means we are really very Blessed, but it also means we have to, uh …, think about gifts in a financial way we don’t like. It causes me to wonder:
What is Value?
What is it to be Valuable?
Are we losing the understanding?

We usually determine value by what something costs. Whether it costs money or time and energy, the more we have to put into a thing the more value we probably ascribe to it. The less it costs us the more apt we are to disregard it or abuse it, even discard it.

In business they talk about the ‘cost/benefit analysis’ to decide what to invest in or what project to take on. We all do this, I think, in our daily lives of going here and there and making decisions on the fly, as we must. We have this instant analysis going on inside us, cost vs benefit, with ‘me’ at the center. We can’t help it. Our ‘selves’ demand that we take care of them and get the best outcome we can.

We get really irritated when someone abuses our stuff. That’s why we don’t like to loan out things, right? When someone treats as ‘low value’ what another thinks is ‘high value’ we have relationship problems. People just value things differently. Some folks take great care of their car, for example, while others just drive ‘em and don’t pay much attention to maintenance. Some folks keep their houses clean and tidy, and others just live in ‘em and have no concern about order or vacuuming.

This is all very well on an individual basis, but not so good when involving others, because others have different opinions, and here is where the relationship issues happen.

So, what is YOUR value to God? Does He value you? Does He care about you? Did you cost Him anything? Is He trying to maintain you in any way? Are you taking care of His child … you? Are you nurturing His desire for relationship? Are you listening when He whispers His love for you?

And, what is your value of others?

Good things to ponder this Christmas, as we think about the VALUE of GIFTS given, to us … this day … a child was born … to save the world!