How do I value?

People value many different things. The value of anything is relative to our sense of how important it is to us. Picasso was a very famous artist. Some value his paintings greatly being willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for one. Personally I would rather have a Norman Rockwell print. From this it should be obvious that even if I could afford a Picasso I have no interest in them therefore they have little value to me.

Some things are worth more than money! There are some things for which I would not trade all the money in the world. Family is one of these things. Certain memories are priceless. Some years ago I went through an unpleasant job change. We were just getting by only to have our income cut by more than 30%. Christmas time rolled around and there was very little money for gifts. Two of my boys went out into the windbreak around our house and found gifts for me. A used razor blade, a shiny black rock and a couple of other things. I wish I still had them today but all I have is the memory. It is priceless! It always brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye. Then there is the summer that I got to spend working a new job with those same boys now become teenagers. We would get up early and pile into the cab of an old pickup and drive 60 miles to work. We would sometimes work 12 hours and then have the long drive home. I am not sure that they cherish the time as I do but that doesn't matter. It was the best summer I had had in years.

What does this have to do with our subject of the value of the love of God? Not a lot except that it shows that value is in the mind of the holder. God has already demonstrated the value that He places on us, (John 3:16 Romans 5:8). Have we demonstrated the value we place on His love? Have we demonstrated the value we place on loving Him?

We know what He expects of us. We are to love Him with"all our heart, mind, and soul." "If you love me you will keep my commandments" and others. But what value do we place on His love for us and our love for Him? Two parables of Jesus come to mind. These teachings show how much we are to value the "kingdom of heaven." In Matthew 13:44 and 45 we read of the hidden treasure and the pearl of great price. In both parables the one who found them sold all that they had in order to obtain them. I suggest that this is how much we should value a loving God.