Lost Value . . .

No object determines its own value. Rather the maker/creator of that object determines its worth. Often times, the church acts as though until a person is "saved," they have no value to God. But God sent His one and only son, Jesus, to seek and save that which was lost. (Lk 19:10) You don't call something "lost" if it doesn't have intrinsic value. In other words, something or someone can only be "lost" if, by its very nature, it has value.

I make this observation because I believe if we do not see people as having value before they accept God's free gift of salvation, this mindset will affect how we relate to the "lost" people that cross our path every day. For example, rather than taking the time to establish a relationship with these individuals, or at least taking the time to ask their name and how they are doing, there is the temptation to merely present the Gospel, and if they do not ask Jesus into their heart, simply move on to the next evangelistic target.

But God doesn't place a higher value on people because they accept His free gift of salvation through Jesus' death on a cross. People are valuable to God no matter what the present state of their beliefs or behavior because He created them in His image, reflecting His nature. (Gen. 1:26) Afterall, it was His idea to call them "lost" in the first place!

So, the next time you share the good news of God's love with someone, keep in mind God values them whether they accept or reject His love. Should we do any less?