The Cost Of Everything, The Value Of Nothing

T

he reception area was filled with the buzz of voices as people entered, anticipating the dinner and the conversation that would ensue in the brief moments ahead.  Men dressed in coats and ties and ladies in lovely dresses stood all around the room smiling, laughing, shaking hands, and enjoying the before-dinner refreshments and the company.  As more and more guests arrived, the room began to fill and people moved to other parts of the room to continue their conversations.

At the far end of the reception hall, a photographer was busy snapping photographs as announcements were made for individuals to pair up and have their pictures made.  After everyone had been photographed, the entire entourage was ushered toward the banquet hall where a scrumptious dinner was waiting.  Since there was no seating arrangement, people shared their tables with others whom they did not know. This provided a wonderful opportunity for introductions and interesting conversation.  At the end of the meal, the guests were entertained with a wonderful musical performance and several individuals gave very encouraging and heartwarming addresses.

Sounds as if this took place in New York or in Hollywood, doesn’t it.  Actually, this event occurred on the campus of Southwestern Seminary.  This is an annual event where student recipients of scholarships are paired with those who donate the monies for these funds.  It was my pleasure to attend this event as the recipient of a scholarship that helped me complete my studies at the seminary.

As I looked around the room, listening to the hum of all the conversations and watching all the interaction between the guests, I couldn’t help but reflect on a great truth Jesus shared with his disciples about the idea of value.  This idea is almost lost on us in our present society.  We are constantly concerned with the “price” of something while we neglect its “value.”  Jesus, however, understood that the price of something is merely a function of the value we place on things.  Let’s take a look at his claim about cost and value.

In Matthew 13:44, Jesus says the following, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”OK, let’s take this sentence apart, shall we?  First, Jesus is making a direct comparison between cost and value.  The man in this story found a great treasure.  This man, however, was no dummy!  He knew that the treasure had great worth and value.  He determined that the price required was worth it because the treasure had value that exceeded its price!  It cost this man everything he had but he paid the price without hesitation.  He looked beyond the field and saw the treasure.  He saw the infinite worth of that field and bought it, rejoicing in his discovery.

Wow!  What this man found had a finite price but infinite worth.  Do we really understand that concept?  Even if something costs me all I have, I know how much that is.  It has a dollar figure beside it, albeit a small one.  But when something has infinite worth, it is priceless. It is impossible to buy it because no amount of money, effort, or good intention can secure it.  This is what heaven and the good news of Jesus Christ are like.  To become a Christian has a price, it will cost us our lives meaning we must give them to God.  But the joy and the wonderful relationship we have with God is of infinite value—it is priceless!

It has been said that a cynic is a person who knows the cost of everything and the value of nothing.  I very much agree with that statement.  We all know people who can tell you exactly how much they paid for a certain item.  They can point to the day and the time they bought it and they may still have the original receipt to prove how much they paid for it.  But that is where their vision and their understanding stop!  These people understand cost but they do not understand value!  The two terms are not synonymous!!! 

A

ren’t you glad we serve a God who not only understands the concept of value but one who demonstrated it!  If you want to get a good grip on God’s concept of cost and value, you need look no further than the cross of Jesus Christ.  Man’s sin carried a hefty price and God paid it without hesitation!  The death of Jesus on the cross of Calvary paid the price for man’s fall from God’s grace.  But it doesn’t stop there!  God paid that price because we are of infinite value to Him!  Jesus looked beyond the cross and saw the glory (Hebrews 12:2).  He looked beyond the field and saw the treasure!  He looked beyond the sin and saw us!  What better example of value is there?  Now, the hard question: Does the life we are living today reflect the value of the price God paid for our salvation?  Think about it!