Judge your worth in light of Jesus' sacrifice

One of my friends bought an old home and was preparing it as a rental. He and his helper found the basement to be quite cluttered with junk left by the previous occupant, who had hurriedly left the area without a forwarding address.

In the corner of the basement, they discovered an old box of Levi jeans. My friend instructed his helper to throw the box in the dumpster outside.

As the fellow prepared to throw the jeans away, he had a thought. Perhaps the old clothes were worth something. So he proposed to the homeowner that if he could find someone who would buy the jeans, the two of them might split the proceeds.

In spite of the ridiculous thought that there might be some worth to that old box of clothes, the homeowner agreed and allowed the helper to leave the job in search of a buyer.

Preoccupied with the job before him, the homeowner was surprised when his helper returned after a couple of hours with incredible news. He had indeed found a buyer, and handed the homeowner $300 as half of the proceeds.

As implausible as it may have seemed, someone had placed a high value on that old box full of Levis that the homeowner considered junk.

That incident has served as an example to me about the concept of "worth."

We have often heard the concept of "self-worth," or the value one might place upon his or her life.

But how do we determine our worth? By our achievements or the lack thereof? By our financial net worth? By the compliments or complaints of those closest to us?

That measurement, whatever it might be, would not be accurate because, it seems to me, the "worth" of someone or something would have to be established by a third party.

I might think an old car should be "worth" $10,000. It might be worth that amount to me, but its true worth would have to be determined by what someone else might be willing to pay to purchase it.

At this Easter season, we reflect on the death and resurrection of Jesus one spring afternoon outside Jerusalem. What was really going on there? Was it a miscarriage of justice in the death of an innocent man? Were the Romans just cleansing the province of a misdirected, self-appointed prophet?

From a biblical viewpoint, the crucifixion of Jesus was the transaction whereby God redeemed (bought back) the lost spiritual inheritance of every person.

Do you wonder what value God has placed on people? Look at the price he was willing to pay for them!

You might think that your life is equivalent to an old pair of jeans in the basement of my friend's rental. Do you feel used up with no future?

Before throwing yourself away in despair, go by faith to the foot of the cross where Jesus died for you. Kneel in repentance, and accept the worth God has placed upon you.

In that moment, you will receive a new life, a renewed sense of being and purpose. It's not "self-worth," but more accurately, the "cross-worth" that will put fresh joy in your life this Easter.

Her classmates mocked a young girl in the school playground because they claimed she was fat and ugly. She did not wither under their taunts.

She just looked at them and said, "I don't care what you guys think of me. My daddy calls me 'Princess' and says I'm the most beautiful girl in the school!"

The sacrifice of Jesus on the cross was your heavenly Father's statement about you. Accept it over all other estimates ... even your own.

Loren A. Yadon is pastor of New Life Fellowship of Boise.