LightGrams
May 31, 2018
Volume 22, Number 20
I’ve long heard that an item’s worth is whatever someone is willing to pay for it. My wife and I recently observed decor that had been placed on a medical office wall, and wondered how much it had cost. I’m not sure I would have paid $5 for the two-piece set, but I’m confident much more than that was spent by the decorator.
A house is currently on sale in Laguna Beach, California for just under a million dollars. That news is not surprising – until you hear the details of this house. With only one bedroom and one bathroom, the house has only 595 square feet of interior space. Built in 1941, I’m also guessing there’s some serious maintenance to be performed.
Laguna Beach, I’m told, is a fashionable place to be, and the house is only five blocks away from the Pacific Ocean. But would you pay a million for such a tiny house? Do you wonder why it has been on the market for the last few months?
Let’s now talk about the value of something more important: Your soul. Jesus knew the worth of one soul: “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).
Consider Achan, an Israelite who was part of the invading force that captured the Promised Land. In the battle of Jericho this man spotted some valuable items: “a beautiful Babylonian garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold” (Joshua 7:21). God had earlier warned the Israelite army to take nothing as spoil; had Achan not heard that warning? Yet in his greed for some momentary gain he brought about his own death, as well as the deaths of his family members (Joshua 7:25,26).
What if we were to ask Achan today, “Was it worth it? Did the garment, the silver and the gold bring you the happiness you desired?” We know what his answer would be.
Paul stated the principle clearly in 1 Timothy 6:10: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” Greediness, Paul affirmed, will lead to disastrous consequences.
“Come on, preacher,” some will say, “that won’t happen to me!” I give more weight to the words of Galatians 6:7,8: “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”
Would you pay a million dollars for a tiny house? Would you give your soul for pleasures that won’t last? Ponder Hebrews 11:13-16 before giving your final answer.
Come to the light God offers! Study His word, the Bible. Worship Him in spirit and truth (John 4:24). Get in touch with us if you’d like to discuss these ideas further.
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Copyright, 2018, Timothy D. Hall. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the New King James Version (Copyright, 1990, Thomas Nelson, Inc.).
“LightGrams” is produced by the Central Church of Christ, 2722 Oakland Avenue, Johnson City, Tennessee, 37601, and is written by Tim Hall, minister. It is sent free of charge every Thursday to all who request it. To subscribe or to receive more information, write to “[email protected]” (our E-mail address), to the U.S. mail address above, or call (423) 282-1571.
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