Where does value lie?

Value is an incredibly frustrating topic.  It means different things to everyone, be it sentimental value or monetary value.  But where should emphasis be placed when it comes to what's valuable in this world?

Most of the first world would argue that monetary value is the most important.  After all, without money what can be done? Nothing.  Although it is true that things can be made easier by having money, living in such a materialistic world, things of monetary value are really just used to show status and power.

Coming from the viewpoint of someone who believes in heaven and firmly believes in the pointlessness of storing up treasures on earth, I find that emphasis should be placed on the value of deeds, character, and memories.  When we all inevitably die, the amount of money we made on this earth isn't going to mean a single thing.  The position of our job, the savings, the fancy cars and name brand items will all just return to the earth.  What will matter however, is how God looks at what we did with our resources, how we served other people, and how we actively pursue His mission on the earth.

In many places in the bible God mentions this. A well known example is the parable in Matthew 25:

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’41 “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. 42 For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, 43 I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.’44 “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’46 “Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life.”

In the end, everything kind of boils down to how willing we are to part with things of material value in order to serve others, and obviously God places a lot of importance on this since it comes down to the matter of eternity.

So, where do you place your value? Are you willing to give up your earthly comforts? In the end, only God will judge if you clothed, fed, and sheltered Him and His people.