I enjoy shopping for used or vintage things. Some part for saving money on something that I may want or need, other times, to get something unique and classic to add as décor in my home. I have an eclectic sense of style, and my home has a vintage character to it. Something I have come across over the years of shopping at second hand and antique stores is how the price of an item can really vary. Some people are very reasonable and fair in what they are selling. While others, put a price tag to their item that leaves me wondering who on earth would pay that much. Also, what I may think is silly, someone might find it special. In turn, some things that I find as a treasure, others could care or less about. I recently got excited about a couple of things that I bought, that some may completely walk past. As humans we really have our opinions on the value of things. Though beyond these things, sometimes we place our value on people too. It is okay to have our opinions on things, though we must be careful on how we place our value on people. For despite our opinions or preferences, Jesus died for us all. He did not put a value on one person above another; He placed us all at the value of someone to die for. Not because we deserve it, even the best people don’t, but because of His goodness and His love. God asks us to love one another. We do not have to invite everyone to our table, healthy boundaries are essential, but we do need to love them. Even when it is someone we really do not like, for whatever reason. Maybe the best way to love them, is praying for them from a distance. Though we don’t get to decide the value of another human being. For Jesus did die for all, as sinners, for all of our sins; what we do with that is up to us. I got a couple of neat things for my house the other day from a couple of antique stores. I value them, and I believe they will add more value to our home. Though beyond these material things, I am grateful that God sees us all with value, all worthy to die for, even when others might not. Friend, how blessed are we that God’s kind love doesn’t look at us like the world, but sees us as His treasure. Even when we don’t deserve it. I am so grateful that even if people may walk past me and not see me as much, that my Father in Heaven, the Creator Himself, sees me with such value, us all with such value, because of His great love.

Erin Fitts-Brower

Valued

Genesis 1:27 NIV

So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.

Galatians 3:28 NIV

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Acts 10:34-35 NIV

Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right.

Romans 5:6-8 NIV

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

1 John 4:10-11 NIV

This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.