It’s not hard right now to be bombarded with images and stories of Value – the value of the dollar, the value of elected officials, the value in your home and other assets, family values, traditional values, the value menu at (insert your favorite fast food restaurant). We see so much of the use of the word “value” that I wonder if the word value itself has any value? I just went to dictionary.com and did you know that there are 18 different definitions for the word Value?
The first 7 definitions have worth associated with them (primarily monetary). Eleven through fifteen deal with ethics or fine arts and sixteen through the end are verb forms of the word. I’m captured by 8, 9 and 10.
8.
import or meaning; force; significance: the value of a word.
9.
liking or affection; favorable regard.
10.
values, Sociology . the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., ofa society toward which the people
of the group have anaffective regard. These values may be positive, ascleanliness, freedom, or
education, or negative, as cruelty,crime, or blasphemy.
Understanding value in terms like significance radically open up the understanding of this word. I mean my home has great value monetarily, but more important it has greater significance to me than what it’s worth. Or my car, the minute I drove it off the lot it depreciated in value, but if I were to be in an accident and would lose the car, that would significantly be a problem. My kids cost us a lot but you can’t put a money value to them – they have deep meaning to us – and most of the time I regard them favorably (that’s a joke, I always like and have affection for them).
It’s easy to have value in family and close friends but what about Value in the bride of Christ? Do we find value in the church? I don’t mean monetary value – universally, the church is “loaded” and could easily end world poverty. What I mean is, what is the value of your local gathering of believers? The early followers of Jesus gathered to worship, but also to find strength in each other – to find comfort from persecution – to share resources and make sure NO one was in need. Does that kind of value still linger in church – at least the church in America?
Beyond the value we have for our church, what are the values our churches staunchly believe in? It’s one thing to say we value this or that, but it’s our actions that actually prove whether that’s true or not. I can say I value being a “Missional” follower of Jesus, but if I’m not actually living missionally, then is it really a value? Our Values are more than just statements – they are DNA markers. I would hope that my DNA markers would reflect Jesus more than anything. Sadly it doesn’t always happen (of course that’s what sanctification is all about). It’s my prayer that what I value monetarily would be a reflection of what I value, or highly regard, spiritually.
What is it that you value? What is is that your church or worshipping community values? If we’re honest we may not like all the answers we find; especially if we mark that value by our behavior. But here’s the thing, without knowing what we clearly are valuing we can’t be the bride that Christ values with his very life.