Spiritual Tape-Measure

Value. We place value on everything. We don't always do so consciously. It is second-nature. We even place value on people, both on others and on ourselves. How do we measure the value of a person? What does your tape-measure look like?

Some people give more value to a person who grew up in the nicest area of town and assign much less value to someone who came from the less desirable part of town. Some put greater value on those who have prestigious careers and big bank accounts and very little value on someone who has a meager job and lives paycheck to paycheck. Yet, others put more value on the family background that some come from, whether it be from parents that were a doctor and a lawyer as opposed to someone who came from the grocery-store cashier and the construction worker... Also, some give more value to those who are highly educated as opposed to those who never finished high school. Maybe it is based on the way someone dresses or what they look like. It is amazing how many people only look to such measures to assign a human life's value. People who choose to use these kinds of things as the measuring device for human-value also tend to hold themselves to those same standards. It can be nearly impossible for people they encounter to "measure up" and it can also be quite difficult to "measure up" themselves.

When we hold other people and even ourselves to such standards, we are missing the true measure of value. If we use those things as our method of measure then we completely discount what God used to assign value to human-kind--the cross! Why bind ourselves so tightly to things of this earth? We are only here for such a short time. Why choose to live by this earth's standards? Our time here is SO brief! The pastor at my church said it so well recently; "We spend FAR MORE time on the other side of the grave, than this side!" Why do we not live with that in mind? Why do we choose to get so caught up in the measures of this world and risk our souls doing so? We are here for a mere instant. If you really stop and think about eternity, the time we spend on this earth is just a molecule of water within an ocean bigger than the whole universe. It is an instant. But so many of us are living, thinking, and measuring ourselves and everyone else based on the trappings of this earth. WHY?! God placed ETERNAL value on us when He sent Jesus to the cross. Why bind ourselves and others to such silly, shallow, and depth-less measures? Why be so empty and worldly?

How would you like to realize that you finally lived up to the greatest measures of this earth and yet missed real value? What if you didn't really live with spiritual values in mind? What if you worried yourself sick trying to have the best job, home, clothes, body, or personality? What if growing closer to God, drawing others to Christ, and being a servant to souls-in-need rarely crossed your mind? What if that were the case? What if you died and were shown the true time-line of your existence? What if it showed that your life on earth was a millimeter tick-mark on a tape measure 100 billion miles long! How would you feel? How would you feel if all of the rest of your time on the tape measure would be spent based on where your values were when you were alive on the Earth? Whoa! That should be a frightening thought for many of us! The reality is, our lives here are just a millimeter tick-mark on a measuring tape that never ever ends!!! Why put so much value on the "stuff" of that tiny tick-mark when eternity's values are SO different?!?! You could be sacrificing your eternity with God for our tiny moment of life on this earth. That sounds insane to me!

My point here is to keep your heart, soul, and mind on the things of God. Don't let the world and Satan draw you in. You can be IN the world but not OF the world. Don't waste your life trying to measure up to anyone else's standards---ONLY God's. Don't get lost in what anyone else thinks or says about you. Your value shot through the cosmic-roof when God valued you enough to send His Son to die for YOU. Your value lies in the cross, not in anything to be attained or achieved on this earth. We should be about our Father's business and not distracted by the details of worldly "things". We are here to draw closer to our Maker and bring others to Christ. We are here to have a relationship with the God of the Universe and to bring others into that relationship too, through Jesus Christ. Yes, we need shelter, clothing, and to have some FUN! I am not saying not to enjoy your life here or that worldly "things" are inherently wrong. Not at all! Have fun and enjoy life! But our treasure and our value must lie in things "eternal". See yourself and others through the eyes of your God--the earthly details will shatter on the ground in insignificance!

Think about it. We need to adjust our value-meter AND our understanding of how VERY brief our time here is in comparison to an eternity elsewhere! Our actions and values should shift immensely with true understanding of value and time.