The Value of a Life

I don't think it's too much of a stretch to say that after the COVID pandemic, something happened to our collective mental health.  The world spent several years living in denial, fear, and then grief.  This type of prolonged exposure to stress can lead to PTSD of course, and once the world finally began to heal physically, many (if not most) of us simply went on with our lives.  Not much time dedicated to psychological healing.  According to some recent studies, as many as one in five Americans suffer from diagnosed anxiety, and that doesn't include those who have never gone to see a doctor.  For adolescents, this figure jumps to about one in three.  In addition to that, about fifty-thousand adults die annually in the U.S. from suicide.  Innumerable more have considered it.  Sufficed to say, we have a problem.  

As part of my occupation, I deal with young people who often have experience with friends or family members that have taken their own lives.  The effects are long lasting and devastating for those left behind.  In many ways, I think that this may be America's new silent epidemic.  Do people know how valuable they actually are?  Do they understand that God designed them with a purpose and specific spiritual gifts?  Unfortunately, in many cases, I think the answer is "no."  So I want to take a moment to look at some of the Scriptures in the Bible about God's love.  

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "The faithful love of the Lord never ends!  His mercies never cease.  Great is His faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning."  It appears then, that we are faithfully loved by the creator of all things.  Likewise, Psalm 139:14 says that we are fearfully and wonderfully made.  This means we are capable of affecting the world in awe inspiring ways.  And finally my favorite, Genesis 1:27, which states, "So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them."  Let that sink in for a moment.  Not only did God create us, He also attributed aspects of Himself into our design.  This means we are of incredible value both as individuals, and as unique parts of God's creation.

Now we can misuse this power and ability of course through sin.  But even so, God still provides a way for us to receive forgiveness through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross.  When we fall, we can repent, ask for forgiveness, and continue living our lives.  Want even better news?  We are saved by faith in Jesus, not because we need to try to be perfect.  I firmly believe that the good news of the Gospel equates to a love letter from Him to us; a written reminder that we  matter.  Even if it doesn't feel like it, and even if other people in your life forget that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.  You do matter, and you are a created being (not just some random, biological accident).  

So what does this mean for you and I today?  Well, I think we can draw several conclusions.  First, it means that if you are feeling inadequate or somehow lesser, you are listening to the wrong voice.  God's voice will tell you the opposite.  Don't believe the lie that says you aren't good enough to be loved.  Second, if you are considering a permanent "solution" to a temporary problem through suicide or self-harm, then please reach out to someone for help.  In six months or a year, you may very well find that the big problem will look smaller than it does now.  And in the long run, you can learn to replace the voice of an often cruel world, with God's loving and edifying voice.  It takes practice, but re-writing your narrative does work.  

So be patient with yourself.  Take time to heal, and make sure to remember that no one else has it all together either.  If they assert such nonsense, then they are lying (or trying to impress you).  And when you feel lost, understand that you can always pray.  Although probably not part of any scientific psychological treatment manual, it remains true that prayer is our primary communication with the Father.  1 John 5:14 says, "And this is the confidence that we have toward Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."  Has it been a while since you have felt heard?  Give prayer a try.  And above all, know that your life is valuable beyond measure, and you are wanted.  If that weren't true, God wouldn't have made you.  

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Jesus: Consultant or King?

I recently heard a famous pastor ask a question to his congregation.  He stoically looked at the crowd and said, "Is Jesus just your consultant, or is he your king?"  The question is simple, but profound.  It goes to the very core of what people think about the connection between belief and obedience.  This is the same question that Jesus asked his disciples in Matthew 16:15-16: "But what about you? he asked.  Who do you say that I am?  Simon Peter answered, You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God."  As you may know, Christ then goes on to tell Peter that he will become the rock of the church.  The rest is history (about two-thousand years of history to be exact).

The same question applies to us today.  How do you and I view Jesus?  Is he just a wise teacher that we consult with every once in a while, when we are trying to make an important life decision?  Or do we drop to our knees and worship him every day as Lord and King?  The way we answer this will determine not only our future here on Earth, but also our destiny in the next life.  And there is life after life by the way.  Not only does Jesus talk about a reward in Heaven, but there are countless stories of near death experiences where people have been resuscitated after clinical death, and were given a glimpse into heaven or hell.  The truth is out there.  

So if this question is so important, then why do so many people today ignore it?  Why don't they go to church, pray regularly, or seek after a Holy and forgiving God?  If I knew the answer, I would write another book about it.  I believe there are many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that churches and church people can seem very intimidating.  Others may have been hurt by someone in the church, or by the authority given to elders and leaders.  I totally get it.  But here is the good news.  Each and every person has the same opportunity to flip through the pages of the Bible and read what Jesus said and did.  They can make up their own mind about him, even without necessarily becoming "churched."  There is no one that God cannot reach, even in countries where the Bible has been banned.  

And so we have come to the point where you as the reader must ask yourself the same question.  Is Jesus your consultant, or is he something more than that?  I hope that you come to the same conclusion as I did - that he was and is, the Son of God, come to seek and save the lost.  I was lost once, and you probably were too.  But if your life has taken a more spiritual path, then most likely it's because you view Christ as lord and savior.  Once that revelation takes hold in a person's mind, nothing else can compete.  It wasn't meant to.  

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