We are of little value until God claims us
A fifty-dollar bill, lost and blowing across the ground, is like any other piece of paper we find. It is nothing but trash. That is, until you or someone else finds and claims it. You give the fifty dollar bill its value when you pick it up and put it into your pockets.
While it is unclaimed, it is of no more value than the next thing we would throw away. In many ways, you and I, until we are claimed by Jesus, are of no more value than an unclaimed piece of merchandise. We cannot make anyone value who we are.
Now do not be offended by this. We actually refer to a thing that seemingly has no value as a piece of trash. But with God, we are not trash. We are not helpless but priceless.
Why is that? Well, because God, is all His wisdom, made a way for us to become people of great value. Scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:18 “I will be a Father to you. And you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” Only a living God can change you from being an orphan to dead parents to being alive again to a living God.
Value in life is something given to us more than it is achieved by us. It is important for us to know from where we ultimately get our value. The people of the world look for their value from what they can get in having the things of the world.
People look to get wealth from the world. They believe wealth gives them value. Children of God are given wealth by being a child of God. Being a child makes them wealthy. By the world standard, wealth is caught up in what you have. But by God’s standards, wealth is found in who you are.
People look to get position, status, place, and privilege from the world. This they believe gives them value. But we are given position, status, place, and privilege by God when we become His children. This makes us priceless in His heart.
People look to find the gold and the pearls, and all the things of the world others seek after for their value. God makes us pearls and gold and all the things that are priceless even when no one else would own them.
People of the world get this all backwards. People want to claim what they cannot claim. Own what they cannot own. And show what they cannot show. God is not lost. He cannot be found and claimed by you or me. He finds and claims us. Only a living God can do that.
God is not made by our hands, so we can show our work on Him to others. God made each of us to show His greatness and His glory in the world that seeks this for itself.
God cannot be owned so He cannot be bought by us. He is priceless, so we have nothing that is of sufficient enough value to trade for Him. He is the one who trades for us. Only a living God can do that.
John 3:16 says, “For God so Loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Just like we give a piece of paper its value when we claim it, God gives each of us the value of Himself when we are claimed by Him. Only a Living God can do that.
My mother used to make beautiful comforting quilts by piecing together old scraps of unwanted cloth materials good for nothing but to be thrown out. My mom was following the pattern of value she learned from the Lord. She made something of no value to be valuable in new ways.
Only a living God can piece together with Himself, the old scraps of our sinful lives and create in us new lives of priceless value in Him. Our value comes to us from Him because He changes us from being the simple piece of unwanted paper to a priceless person claimed by a living God. Only a living God can do that.
God makes the simple people we are to be special because He chooses to be our Father. We don’t need a big house because we live in a house built by His hands. We don’t need fancy clothes because we are clothed in His love. We don’t need to have all friends because He has chosen to be our friend.
Only a Living God can do this. Let’s stop living like we are our own and learn to live like we are the one and only thing He owns. Only a Living God can do that.
Live a Delivered Life. Love you.
Live Delivered 