The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it. Psalm 24:1 (NIV)
Walk through any art exhibit or museum and you will see display after display of the giftedness of some people. Some works of art bring a high price tag. Why? Because the maker of that particular work of art is famous. He/she is well-known for their talent.
Someone who has established themselves as being excellent in a particular area (such as writing, the arts, speaking, etc.) may enjoy the privilege of having their work elevated above others simply because of their name. The value of an item is determined by the value of its maker.
What’s true in the world of the arts is true throughout life as well. When you travel, are you drawn to your favorite restaurant for food, or do you tend to look for the small café off the beaten path?
If you buy one brand of automobile and have bad luck with it and with the service, are you likely to go back to that maker or are you inclined to give someone else a try?
If you have a bad experience with one company, how does your mind react when the person across the table tells you they just got a new job at that company?
Our reaction to products, places and events is often determined by the experiences we’ve had in the past with their maker. If we aren’t careful, we can find ourselves doing the same thing with the people we come across.
When we see a person of a particular race, or wearing a particular type of dress, or speaking to a particular topic, or living a particular lifestyle, it’s easy to draw conclusions about the person themselves. The Psalmist reminds us that God made everything and EVERYONE in the world. “All who live in it” is pretty inclusive language.
How will your reaction to others change if you treat them as God’s creation? To be sure their actions may repulse you, but is their value in what they do or who made them?
When Jesus looked at the leper he saw value based on the fact that God made the leper. When Jesus saw the prostitute, he saw her as valued, not because of her lifestyle but because of her maker. How then shall we view those with different lifestyles, different beliefs, or different cultural backgrounds?
As Christ-followers we are called to spread the good news of Jesus to ALL people. To show Christ’s love effectively we must show others their value is based on their maker and not their actions, past, or current lifestyle. Our job is to love others. God’s job is to change them.
PRAYER: Lord, everyday I come in contact people on who are different than I am in action, creed or background. While I may not agree with how they live, empower me with your Spirit to show them the value they have as your creation. Amen.
Built with Grace 
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June 23, 2012 at 8:20 am
Lindy Combs (Whidbey Island, Puget Sound, Washington)
This is a truth rarely expounded. Thank you, Mike, for this post.
As one pastor, Woodland Hills Church in St. Paul, Dr. Greg Boyd, PhD teaches: “Each person we see is of unfathomable worth…be sure to ascribe value to all,” and that means the one in the mirror, (I finally realized that meant me, too). I am stunned at times by how far people will travel…like when the first white buffalo was discovered…to see something exceedingly rare, but then devalue/disregard the most rare and unique, like one’s spouse or the one sitting next to us on a bus…or…anyone, more valuable than one of the Stradivarius violins (I think there are only 16 of them on Earth). Dr. Boyd reminds his congregation that “…true, some of them need to be locked up, but that does not change their intrinsic worth.”
June 23, 2012 at 8:36 am
Mike Fisk
Lindy, thanks so much for the comment and for stopping by. I say a huge AMEN to everything you say. In fact I was just looking at some of the things regarding Mr. Sandusky and thinking, as Pastor Boyd stated, some people need to be locked up as a consequence of their actions but that doesn’t detract in any way from thier value. This post was difficult to write because I had to deal with some of my own attitudes on that! This week I’ve been doing alot of thinking about Jonah. He had no liking for the Ninivites at all. Everything about them ran contrary to his theological, cultural and social make-up. Yet God sent him to them to preach repentance. Are we willing to show value to the ‘Ninivites’ in our circle of contacts? Thanks again for stopping by. By the way, I’ve heard Dr. Boyd speak and have visited his church on a few occasions. A man greatly used by God! God Bless~Mike
June 23, 2012 at 10:14 am
Lindy Combs (Whidbey Island, Puget Sound, Washington)
This was truly a pleasure and subject near to my heart. Blog writing is fascinating; I want my own. 😉 Glad to hear you have attended Woodland Hills. Greg Boyd still holds a special place in my heart. 😉
Excellent point about Jonah. So much is lost in these old stories if we don’t seek to relate to what God has preserved for our learning. Suffice is to say. hoping I may be so bold, there is within each of us the likes of each one: Peter (denying Christ in not always following Him), Eve (in her reasoning and entertaining the evil one’s “whispers”), Adam (in his abdicating his role as husband…NOT deceived, like Eve was), David, (in his arrogance that brought him to murder and adultery).
Eating of the wrong tree is “the sin” that so easily besets us all…and yet, unique to each of us in our private forbidden fruit-eating. That old saying holds true: “But for the Grace (Titus 2:11 – the Teacher) of God, there I go”
I find it a fun thing to do, not always successfully, to tell a total stranger, “You are of unfathomable worth.” This is after asking their permission to share with them and then asking them to define “unfathomable” in their own words. After that I have their undivided attention. Pastor Boyd inspired this in me. It is amazing how it disarms people. 😉
June 23, 2012 at 10:19 am
Martha Orlando
I’m reminded here of the often-said phrase: Hate the sin, but love the sinner. Remembering that all human beings, and all living things for that matter, have value in the eyes of God is to truly see with His eyes.
Thanks for this marvelous inspiration, Mike!
Blessings!
July 4, 2012 at 6:37 am
Mike Fisk
Hi Martha, Thanks for stopping by again. Hating the sin and loving the sinner is one of the hardest things to do in the Chrisitan life. Especially when the ‘sinner’ has hurt us. You are right though. All things have tremendous value to our Father. Blessings to you as well!
Mike
June 23, 2012 at 11:30 am
Julie Hogan
This is so needed. Thank you. At times I feel unloved and unappreciated. You haver good timing for my life.
July 4, 2012 at 6:40 am
Mike Fisk
Hi Julie. I’m glad my words could help remind you that you are much loved and appreciated. No matter how we are treated by others, nothing and no one’s attitude can separate us from the love He has for us. God Bless! Mike