How much are you worth and who gets to decide?

I love going to Eastern Europe.

I love the food, the people, the landscape, the culture, and so much more that make that area of the world so rich.

I'm always fascinated with the interest the folks over there have in free market economy after having lived under communism and government controlled pricing for so long. In adapting some of my teachings along this line, I ask them who gets to decide how much something is worth - the buyer or the seller.

After discussing a variety of answers, we come to agree that it isn't the buyer or the seller, but rather both. Both must agree on the price before a transaction occurs. If the seller wants more that the buyer thinks the item is worth, then there is no purchase. If the buyer makes an offer that isn't satisfactory to the seller, the offer is rejected.

Which brings me to my questions. How much are you worth? And who gets to decide?

Meet the Seller - The Law - According to Scripture, all of us born in Adam get credit for Adam's act of disobedience (Rom. 5:12-19). So, Adam's sin, condemnation, and death are also ours. His transgression placed us all under, what the Bible calls, the Law. The Law is holy, righteous, and good, according to Paul, but its demands are fierce…death to be exact. And you are found squarely in its grips.

The Law's selling price - death. But not just any death. A perfect sacrifice, without any spot or blemish, is the only acceptable death that would allow Law to be satisfied enough to enter into the transaction.

Meet the Buyer - God the Father - He is a holy God, a relational God, and a loving Father whose Son is the apple of his eye. He wants His Son to have a visible body so that all of creation can see the expression of His glory. He wants His Son to have a beautiful bride to pour out His love on. And He wants His Son to have brothers and sisters to live and share life with.

We…you and me...would fulfill all of these things for God if only The Law didn't own us because of our sin.

The problem - The only sacrifice that would redeem us from the curse of The Law is the death of the One that has captured God's heart - His Beloved Son, in whom He is well pleased.  For God to agree to that asking price would mean the loss of everything His heart was enraptured by…the all-consuming Jesus.

But God does accept! And by accepting the asking price, God does something amazing. He defines our worth! How much? Priceless! We were worth the very death of His Son, Jesus. He redeemed us with the blood of Jesus, something that no one could ever put a value on.

St. Peter said it this way…"knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."

Redeemed…purchased…bought…by the blood. Priceless! God has spoken and He has declared your value. All other voices that would speak shame, condemnation, worthlessness, or acceptance based on right behavior are not of Him. Do you struggle with feeling insignificant? Has anyone ever told you that you wouldn't amount to anything? Because of things that have happened to you, or maybe that you brought on yourself, do you feel second class? Used goods? Rejected?

When those thoughts and feelings come flooding in, I encourage you to stand on your worth according to the only One who matters. You are priceless! You have been bought…for a price…too high to comprehend. Enjoy it!