Eternal Value

And he said to them, "Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." 

Lk 12:15 

As "things" surround us, it is hard to get away from them to see those things that are truly valuable.  A number of years ago, a woman who had turned 100 years old, was asked what she thought the best invention of her century had been - the refrigerator, dishwasher, automobile? After a few moments, she responded "running water."  Wow!  Talk about losing perspective on value. This is exactly what Jesus is referring to in the passage above. Life is much more than what we accumulate.  In another instance after an intruder had broken into a home, police arrived and were trying to figure out what the intruder was after. The officer asks the owner of the home “Do you have anything of value in your house?”  Without hesitation, she replied, “Yes, my nine year-old daughter.”

What would be your response? Some jewelry? A plasma-screen TV? Your new computer? An irreplaceable family heirloom?

God wants us to focus on things that have eternal value. The people in your life have eternal value. The things you own do not. Your soul has eternal value. Wisdom has eternal value, as does love, peace, humility, patience, kindness and much more. 

As you think about these things, will you change the way to relate to any of them? How about your annoying neighbor or insensitive co-worker? Will knowing their eternal value change the way you relate to them?  People are not things - they are souls that have an eternal value before God.  It changes our perspective, when we understand that by letting things like humility, patience, kindness, etc go and coveting things, that we could by our reaction cause another soul of eternal value to be damaged. 

"But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you."

Lk.6:27,28 

Jim