The Value of a Life/ the Values of a Life...the Wayfarer 10/20/17

The Value of a Life/ the Values of a Life
10/20/17

Ezekiel 18:4-9

King James Version (KJV)

⁴ Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine: the soul that sinneth, it shall die.

⁵ But if a man be just, and do that which is lawful and right,

⁶ And hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, neither hath defiled his neighbour's wife, neither hath come near to a menstruous woman,

⁷ And hath not oppressed any, but hath restored to the debtor his pledge, hath spoiled none by violence, hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment;

⁸ He that hath not given forth upon usury, neither hath taken any increase, that hath withdrawn his hand from iniquity, hath executed true judgment between man and man,

⁹ Hath walked in my statutes, and hath kept my judgments, to deal truly; he is just, he shall surely live, saith the Lord God.

The value of a single life, the value of each single life cannot be determined by men, but remain the purview of the Creator of that Life, God Himself alone.

Children born to loving parents hold value to those parents far above any material gain available within the world into which that child is born, value that necessitates sacrifice of that which is seen as valuable to others about them that do not place the same value on the life of that newborn, but rather see only the value of how that newborn may affect their attempt to secure "valuables" for themselves.

To the mother holding that newborn, the most valuable thing in the world is the life of that tiny creature that is so dependent on her for sustenance to survive, able to give only love in return for love shown, able only to deliver a smile without words to convey appreciation for the love given, able to give only the promise of growth in return for the sustenance provided, and the unlimited promise of a continuation of that love.

That newborn child's world lies in the arms within which it is held, growing beyond those arms only with the amazement of all that is to be experienced as the child itself grows, still centered in the protective value evidenced in the warmth and comfort of those arms.

That soul, that life holds value in the mind and heart of the one to which it clings so helplessly in a vast, new, wonderful, yet terrifyingly dangerous world not yet experienced.

That experience, one of growth, instills values within that tiny life that remain throughout that life, however long or short it may be.

With that growth comes recognition of what is valuable to others encountered, and the extent of that value as perceived by their fellow creatures, some like and some different from them in what is accepted to be most valuable within that life.

Values are instilled, both at home through parents longing to pass on the values that led to that life and all the possibilities for it, and by the very society into which that child is born.

Concepts and ideas of that society and those that comprise it, intrude on the values of that child as it learns what is and is not acceptable within that society.

Values given that child within the center of its home are shown to be true and valuable, or to be mere words spoken rather than believed as the child sees the reality of the values within the center of its world.

The greater, larger world denies the very value of each single life, holding the greed of what is seen to be valuable above the lives of each child born, still valuable to parents and most importantly still valuable to the Creator Himself.

The value of life is cheapened by any and all that refuse to accept the values intended for that life by that same Creator, the parent of each of those tiny creatures born to recognize the love imparted to them through the center from which they travel whatever direction taken in the life lived.

The values evidenced by each life returns to the center from which it originated, and whether that value placed on it from the beginning has been established or whether it is negated by the lack of that centering that begins at birth ending only with a return to that center or rejection of that center at the end of the journey begun with the first breath taken that is so valuable to the Creator.

Values of those lives, once established, become the essence of those lives, the center of those lives, the purpose of those lives as they are lived.

Those values themselves become worthy of dying for, as life without those values shows itself to be valueless.

Mark 10:27-30

King James Version (KJV)

²⁷ And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible.

²⁸ Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.

²⁹ And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

³⁰ But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

The Creator Himself, recognized the value of the life of child, His only begotten Son, and the Values that could be given only through the sacrifice of that son, more valuable by far than any of those tiny creatures being given that sacrifice, yet the only means to continue the center of the love established for those very creatures.

His Values exceeded and exceed the values of men so centered, all too often, completely on self.

John 3:16-18

King James Version (KJV)

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

¹⁸ He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

The center of origination of each soul remains that same love shown at creation.

What could possibly be more valuable than the value placed on life, life eternal, given only through the sacrifice of a Savior sent to provide men, all men that very life?

What value could man have that exceeds or is more important than the value instilled through the life and simple message brought us by that Savior?

John 15:13 

Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends

That love shown, not only at the crucifixion, but far more importantly at and by the resurrection is the center to which we return or the center rejected for the "values" that are chosen over that center.

The simple message brought us, preached so willingly, lovingly, and longingly, from the Jordan to the cross, remains the only means of returning to that center. The values given us by the messenger remain paramount to that return, and decide whether that return is to the center of that love, or to the center of the true values as chosen above that love, and the consequence of separation from that love offered freely through the message delivered.

How much do you value life? What are the values of that life?

2 Timothy 1:12 ¹²For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

"REPENT! For the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Amen and Amen

the Wayfarer