WORTHINESS

I Was Just Thinking About - - - -

As the world’s population hovers around seven billion people, what is each person worth? In some cultures, a human being has little or no value. Within the context of world events, we see the carnage perpetrated by those who are zealots for their particular cause. In their wake, there is the slaughter of a growing number of people as they are subjected to butchery (beheading and/or maiming of a human being) as well as outright massacre. The synonyms of the word massacre include the idea of extermination (ethic cleansing) or genocide (deliberate and systematic extermination of a national, racial, political or cultural group).

What is a human life/soul worth? A hymn written by Beatrice Bush Bixler (1916-2013) has had great meaning for many over the years. In the eternal sense of values, how much worth does God attach to an individual life? Mrs. Bixler wrote words that have resonated in my life many times over the years - - - I Am Not Worthy.

I am not worthy the least of His favor, 

But Jesus left heaven for me; 

The Word became flesh and He died as my Savior, 

Forsaken on dark Calvary. 

Chorus: 

I am not worthy this dull tongue repeats it!  

I am not worthy this heart gladly beats it? 

Jesus left heaven to die in my place 

What mercy, what love and what grace! 

I am not worthy the least of His favor, 

But "In the beloved" I stand; 

Now I'm an heir with my wonderful Savior, 

And all things are mine at His hand. 

I am not worthy the least of His favor, 

But He is preparing a place 

Where I shall dwell with my glorified Savior, 

Forever to look on His face.

Additionally, a phrase that most Biblical Christians know appears in the Olivet Discourse, Matthew 25. As Jesus separates the sheep from the goats, the criteria by which he does so is with regard to what has or has not been done to “the least of these” (Matthew 25:31-48). Interestingly, it is the same phrase Jesus used in Matthew 5:17-20, “…whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”

In doing a word search, I read about an organization that has identified itself with the phrase, “the least of these” (www.theleastofthese.org). It is interesting to observe their objective. “The Least of These is a ministry focusing on orphaned children in Ukraine. Through evangelistic children's programs, we are reaching the lost and forgotten children for Christ. We have successfully partnered with local churches, seminaries, and Bible schools enabling nationals to minister to nationals.” I found it significant because our son and his wife recently adopted a teenaged girl from Ukraine. 

One of the truths that touches my heart, especially in moments of retrospect, is the fact that in the mind and heart of Jesus Christ there is no one who is insignificant, inconsequential, unneeded, unwanted or unworthy. I’ve written about this in a Book, Realizing Significance - (http://www.amazon.com/Realizing-Significance-James-Perry). May the Lord Jesus Christ find in each of us His mind and His heart for “one of the least of these.” Consider these things with me.