Where does my earthly value come from? This was a crisis I had to face and a decision that would shape my future. I wanted to be a star baseball player and I thought I was good enough to accomplish that goal. When that dream was destroyed, I had to face the dark night of my life. Who was I? What value did I have? What was I worth? Who controlled me? In the darkness of my life I had to find answers. Here is what I discovered: my value is completely determined by others and not by myself. My employers have always determined my value. If they like what I am doing, they reward me. If they don’t they fire me. My wife stays with me because she continues to give me value. If I was no longer a value to her, she could and would leave to find someone else she valued more. My children place value on me as a dad. I am helpful and embarrassing. I am a strength that they need or an obstacle to get around. As they have aged, my value to them has changed. Even in my own mind, my value has changed. When I was younger I could do all kinds of things that I find I am unable to do as I age. So, the thought enters in that diminishes my value to those around me, my employer, my family and my culture. My value is fading because I can no longer achieve those things that I once thought defined me.
– Pastor Doug
