Value in the Lost (Lent 32, 2023)

God sees value in His Image-bearers.  But sometimes people decide instead to attribute motives to God that do not exist.  Looking through their lens of sinful humanity, they think God must be a narcissist, that it’s all about getting people to worship Him.  Or that He selfishly wants all the glory to and for Himself. 

Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Yes, He deserves worship and gets the glory, but His motives are perfectly holy.  God looks at sinful humanity and sees worth and value inherent in His Image reflected back at Him.

When we are growing to be like Jesus, authentically bearing His Image, we will see value in others and want to see their value set free to be the fullest it can be. 

This is the kind of value Jesus saw in others.  It’s what He saw in Zacchaeus. 

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Luke 19:1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short, he could not see over the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

Zacchaeus wanted to see who Jesus was,
but Jesus also wanted Zacchaeus to see … who Zacchaeus was. 

Luke 19:5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”   6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.

Not everyone sees the value in others. 

Luke 19:7 All the people saw this and began to mutter,
“He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

Seeing Zacchaeus’ repentance and restitution, Luke 19:9 Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Focus for Lent: Make a point of seeing the Image of God in others and knowing the priceless value God bestowed upon them.

Questions for further thought:

Read James 3:9-1. How does seeing the value in others speak to this passage? James 3:9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? 

How well do you see value in others the way Jesus did? How does seeing the valuable Image of God in people drive home the response we should have to tragedies like mass shootings?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus, help me to love the things You love, honor the things You honor, respect the things You respect, and value the things that You value.  Teach me to be more like You every day.  May the power of Your Holy Spirit continue to refine me and finish the good work that You began in me.  I praise You and thank You that You saw value in me before I ever knew it myself. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

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Categories Articles and Devotionals, Devotionals | Tags: | Posted on March 30, 2023

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