Participants:
Series Code: AU
Program Code: AU000048S
|
00:00 - Just a little while ago,
00:02 I met an honest to goodness rock star in an elevator, 00:05 or at least I kind of did. 00:08 And just wait till you hear what we talked about. 00:11 [mellow music] 00:31 Okay, this is gonna sound really weird, 00:34 but if you hang in there, 00:35 I think you'll like where I'm going. 00:37 The other night I couldn't sleep. 00:38 That's pretty usual for me. 00:40 So I started wandering around the house, 00:41 looking for a new spot to sleep, 00:43 hoping that would do the trick. 00:46 And when I finally did fall asleep in the wee hours 00:49 of the morning, we're talking two or three in the morning, 00:52 I had this really vivid dream that kind of stuck with me 00:55 when I woke up. 00:56 Now I know the last thing you want to hear 00:58 is about my dream. 01:00 And I can't tell you how many times people come up to me 01:02 after I'm speaking at a live event to tell me about some 01:04 wacky dream that goes on and on and on and on 01:07 until I'm trying to escape from them. 01:09 So, I mean, I know firsthand that the telling of dreams 01:13 isn't very popular, but at least you're not trapped. 01:16 I mean, you have the ability to turn this show off 01:18 at any moment. 01:19 So here it goes. 01:21 I dreamed I was walking across a college campus, 01:24 which isn't all that unusual because, well, 01:26 I have these recurring nightmares about college 01:29 where I'm late for class and I can't find the classroom, 01:32 or I'm desperately trying to find the place 01:34 where the final exam is being administered. 01:38 But this time it wasn't a nightmare. 01:40 I was walking across this college campus with Sting, 01:44 you know, the famous singer. 01:46 And I was asking him questions about what it's like 01:48 to be a celebrity. 01:50 What's the hardest thing about being famous? 01:52 How do people treat you? 01:53 How do you wish people treated you? 01:55 And honestly, I have no idea what Sting is like in person, 01:58 but I will tell you this, 02:00 the dream version of Sting is very cordial and he made lots 02:04 of time for talking as we strolled across the campus. 02:08 And then at one point we went inside a building 02:10 and got into this elevator. 02:12 And as the doors were closing he side and he said this, 02:16 the hardest thing about all of this 02:17 is that people treat me differently. 02:20 And that's when I woke up at about, I don't know, 02:22 4:30 in the morning. 02:23 And I guess it kind of stuck with me, 02:24 not because I'm famous, 02:26 but because I do lead something of a public life, 02:29 I've been doing that for the last quarter century or more. 02:32 And not to get too new agey 02:33 but I suspect this dreamland celebrity was actually 02:37 reflecting my own feelings back to me. 02:40 Again, it's not that I'm famous because obviously I'm not, 02:43 but in some Christian circles, not many, 02:46 but in some Christian circles, 02:47 I am somewhat recognized because well, 02:49 sometimes because of the books I've written 02:51 or because of my work in TV and radio. 02:54 So that would make me what, a Z list celebrity? 02:57 Because apart from the handful of people that listen to me 02:59 once a week, nobody really knows me. 03:02 And to be honest, that's kind of the way I like it. 03:04 There are people who crave having their name out there 03:06 and I'm most decidedly not one of those people. 03:09 In fact, some people are surprised to learn 03:11 that I'm an introvert. 03:13 I prefer peace and quiet in places 03:15 that are away from people. 03:17 But all the same 03:18 I have led something of a public life and it's given me 03:21 a lot of reasons to reflect on the way that human beings 03:24 treat each other. 03:26 I mean, I'll admit there was a definite difference 03:28 once I obtained a modicum of recognizability. 03:32 Suddenly people liked me because they'd seen me on TV. 03:35 And when I stepped into a church where people knew me, 03:38 I was treated like royalty and my wife was not. 03:43 Not until they realized we were married. 03:45 And it always bothered me that we got different treatment. 03:48 And I knew I would've gotten different treatment too 03:50 if the gathering had no idea who I was. 03:54 Which brings me to the subject 03:55 of how we tend to value people. 03:58 Human nature seems to be wired such 04:00 that we instinctively treat people well 04:03 if we think they can do something for us 04:06 and we tend to ignore them if they can't. 04:08 Maybe one of the reasons we tend to idolize the rich 04:11 and famous is because we somehow hope that we can hitch 04:14 our own wagons to their success and go along for the run. 04:18 But you know, as soon as a celebrity plummets from grace 04:22 or falls into hard times, 04:23 people drop them like a hot potato 04:25 and move on to something else. 04:27 These people were being used. 04:30 I've noticed this happens a lot to child actors who are 04:33 the darlings of the entertainment world one day, 04:35 but then find themselves on the outside 04:38 as soon as they're no longer cute 04:39 or when they have to live through the perils 04:41 of adolescence under public scrutiny. 04:44 I mean, how many child celebrities 04:46 haven't you seen going off the rails 04:48 when the artificial life they've been forced to live 04:51 suddenly catches up with them? 04:53 And they begin to suspect 04:55 that they're nothing more than a product, a ticket to wealth 04:59 for somebody else. 05:00 And while it's painfully visible on the stage of fame 05:03 and fortune, the same does hold true for most of us. 05:06 At some point in our lives, 05:08 we get this nagging feeling that people only value us 05:10 as long as we're useful to them. 05:13 The idea that somebody might actually love you 05:15 just for who you are, 05:17 well most of us realize that's actually 05:19 pretty hard to find. 05:22 It's an idea that you find buried in a famous story 05:24 that Jesus told in the pages of the New Testament. 05:27 The son of a wealthy man demands his inheritance early 05:31 so he can go out and make a life for himself. 05:34 And he stumbles into the painful reality of a world 05:37 that only values you if they find you useful. 05:40 Here's what it says. 05:42 "Then he said, a certain man had two sons. 05:45 And the younger of them said to his father, 05:47 father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. 05:51 So he divided to them his livelihood. 05:53 And not many days after, 05:54 the younger son gathered all together, 05:56 journeyed to a far country and there wasted 05:59 his possessions with prodigal living. 06:01 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine 06:04 in that land and he began to be in want. 06:07 Then he went and joined himself 06:08 to a citizen of that country 06:10 and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 06:13 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods 06:15 that the swine ate and no one gave him anything. 06:21 It's a story that ends on a really lonely note, 06:23 a note that resonates with most of us. 06:26 Now, it doesn't explicitly say this, 06:28 but when this boy had money, he had friends. 06:31 And we know that because, well, 06:32 it's hard to live a prodigal existence by yourself. 06:36 The old King James version says he was in riotous living, 06:39 which is really hard to do alone. 06:42 Now it is a fictitious story, 06:44 but the teller of the story is giving us 06:46 an honest assessment of the world we live in. 06:48 When you're able to do something for people, 06:51 when you're paying for the party, 06:53 you have lots of so-called friends. 06:55 But the moment that's over, 06:57 those ephemeral friendships just evaporate 06:59 and you find yourself keeping company with pigs. 07:03 That's a painful reality for most people. 07:06 We feel like we're only valued for what we can do 07:09 for somebody else. 07:11 You know, a few years back at the peak of my career, 07:13 I fell sick with this mysterious illness and it became 07:17 severe enough that I had to suddenly step down 07:19 from the job I had. 07:21 Just a few months previous people wanted to be my friend, 07:24 but as soon as it was obvious 07:25 that I could no longer carry on with my duties, 07:28 I could suddenly count the number of real friends I had 07:31 on the fingers of one hand. 07:33 I mean, a handful of people sent me get well cards 07:36 and then I never heard from them again. 07:38 Now part of that is just the reality of life. 07:41 Most of my acquaintances were work acquaintances. 07:43 And so, I mean, of course they had to get on with life. 07:46 That's perfectly normal. 07:48 And I've been guilty of doing the same thing. 07:50 The mere act of surviving in this world 07:53 is an all consuming task. 07:55 And when I was no longer a regular part 07:57 of many people's work lives, well, it only made sense 08:00 there was a drop off, it makes sense to me. 08:02 I mean, you often see the same thing happening at funerals 08:05 where the congregation has to get back to the business 08:08 of living tomorrow and the bereaved are left alone 08:11 when the service is over, it just happens 08:13 and it's not really anybody's fault. 08:15 But still underneath that, 08:19 we all have this nagging sense 08:20 that most people only value us if we're useful. 08:24 Now I do have to take a quick break, but when I come back, 08:27 we're going to talk about the way the Bible 08:28 offers a solution to that problem. 08:31 I'll be right back after this. 08:36 - [Narrator] Dragons, beasts, cryptic statues. 08:40 Bible prophecy can be incredibly vivid and confusing. 08:45 If you've ever read Daniel and Revelation 08:47 and come away scratching your head, you are not alone. 08:50 Our free "Focus on Prophecy" guides are designed to help you 08:54 unlock the mysteries of the Bible and deepen your 08:56 understanding of God's plan for you and our world. 09:00 Study online or request them by mail 09:02 and start bringing prophecy into focus today. 09:05 - We're back. 09:06 Just before the break 09:08 I was talking about the way we tend to value other people 09:10 and how we tend to prize people more 09:12 if we think they can do something for us. 09:15 Here in the west 09:17 people love celebrities because somehow they feel 09:19 that they're tapping into those people's success 09:22 just by making contact with them. 09:24 I mean, just watch the way that people name drop, 09:27 hoping that you will place a higher value on them 09:30 because they once met someone famous. 09:33 We have this awful propensity for using people 09:37 instead of loving them. 09:40 And then suddenly 2000 years ago, 09:41 a rather remarkable man suddenly appeared in our midst 09:44 and started treating people, well differently. 09:48 Let me read you a story 09:50 that appears more than once in the pages 09:52 of the New Testament. 09:53 And I think we'll look at the version that's found 09:55 in the gospel according to Mark. 09:57 Here's what it says now in Mark chapter two, 10:00 As he, that's Jesus, "As he passed by, he saw Levi, 10:05 the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office." 10:09 Now here's what we should probably understand 10:11 about this story. 10:13 If we think nobody likes the IRS today, 10:16 back in Jesus' day, tax collectors were even more unlikeable 10:20 because they worked for the Romans 10:22 and the Romans were an occupying power. 10:25 A tax collector was considered a traitor. 10:29 And of course, nobody likes a traitor. 10:32 The story continues. 10:34 "And he said to him, follow me. 10:36 So he arose and followed him. 10:38 Now it happened as he was dining in Levi's house 10:40 that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together 10:44 with Jesus and his disciples, 10:46 for there were many and they followed him. 10:49 And when the scribes and the Pharisees," 10:51 those were the respectable religious leaders of the day. 10:54 "When the scribes and the Pharisees saw him eating 10:57 with the tax collectors and sinners, 10:59 they said to his disciples, 11:01 how is it that he eats and drinks 11:03 with tax collectors and sinners?" 11:07 Now let's be clear about what's actually happening 11:09 in this story. 11:11 These tax collectors have nothing to offer Jesus, 11:14 except, you know, 11:15 maybe letting Jesus slide a little on his taxes, 11:17 something Jesus would never do. 11:20 These people have nothing to offer Christ 11:22 except love and respect. 11:25 They can't advance his public ministry. 11:27 They can't boost his popularity in the polls. 11:30 In fact, hanging out with Jesus is probably going to do 11:34 precisely the opposite. 11:37 And yet there he is hanging out with these people 11:40 because he values them. 11:41 And they don't love him because he's wealthy 11:43 or because he can help them climb the corporate ladder. 11:47 In fact, the Bible tells us Jesus wasn't wealthy. 11:49 He had nowhere to lay his head. 11:52 This is a story that runs completely contrary 11:55 to our normal expectations. 11:57 I mean, imagine someone who loves you 11:59 just because you're you. 12:01 Not after you change to become something more lovable, 12:03 not because you can do something for them, 12:07 but just because. 12:09 It runs completely contrary to the way we 12:11 expect the world to operate, 12:13 which is obvious from the outraged comments 12:16 of the influential people who witnessed 12:17 Jesus eating with these people. 12:19 How is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors 12:22 and sinners? 12:24 You know, over the years, 12:26 I've had the opportunity to do quite a bit of travel, 12:28 enough that I've built a little bit of status 12:31 with some of the airlines. 12:33 And I'll admit, I mean, psychologically, 12:36 the airlines really know what they're doing 12:38 with those loyalty programs. 12:40 I mean, you get to board the plane first, 12:42 they greet you by name, 12:43 they recognize your status, you get a special check-in line. 12:47 And even the occasional upgrade to first class. 12:51 And it works because psychologically, 12:54 it feels really good to be recognized. 12:56 But underneath it, you know 12:58 you're not being recognized because the airline loves you. 13:01 You're being recognized because you represent revenue. 13:04 And the moment you don't fly enough is the moment you get 13:07 sent to the back of the plane. 13:10 And that's the world we live in, 13:12 the world we expect where status is awarded 13:15 based on your utility. 13:17 And it's been that way since the dawn of recorded history. 13:20 But then that history is dramatically interrupted by a man 13:23 who operates by a completely different set of rules. 13:27 When Jesus was challenged by the temple authorities to prove 13:30 that he had the authority to teach, 13:31 he responded by saying, 13:33 "Assuredly I say to you that tax collectors and harlots 13:37 enter the kingdom of God before you." 13:41 Now compare that to the world we live in, 13:44 a world where personal entitlement is the rule of the day. 13:48 I mean, we've all heard those stories where customers scream 13:50 at a clerk, don't you know who I am? 13:53 We are so desperate to be valued. 13:56 And I find it interesting that it's often celebrities 13:59 who act out like that. 14:00 And most of us unfortunately love those stories 14:04 where celebrities throw a public temper tantrum 14:06 because in our minds, they just got taken down a notch. 14:09 And if they've been taken down a notch, 14:11 maybe the rest of us can prove we're just as valuable 14:14 as those people and what, maybe even more valuable. 14:18 It's the double edged sword of modern celebrity. 14:21 If we think someone can do us a favor, 14:23 we treat them like gold. 14:25 But as soon as it's obvious they can't or won't, 14:27 we suddenly want them to fall off their perch. 14:30 And we experience a great deal of schadenfreude 14:32 when they do, we love it. 14:34 Whether it's Miley Cyrus who fails to get recognized 14:37 at a burger stand 14:38 or Faye Dunaway getting her credit card declined, 14:40 part of us loves that because the mighty get served 14:44 a slice of humble pie. 14:46 I mean, I'll be honest. 14:47 The fact that Jesus offended the religious authorities 14:50 by fraternizing with the lowest rung of the social ladder, 14:53 I kind of enjoy it. 14:56 But really we need to ask ourselves why, 14:58 why do we bask in the moment when the most celebrated 15:00 members of society suddenly have that value stripped away? 15:05 I suspect that at least to some degree it's because we all 15:07 fear the same thing might happen to us. 15:10 We fear that our personal value 15:12 might be hanging by a thread. 15:16 And that's where the person of Christ 15:18 suddenly grabs our attention. 15:19 I mean, who is this man who turns social values 15:22 on their head and hangs out with low life and hookers? 15:26 Who is this man who touches lepers and has all the time 15:30 in the world for a woman who has been condemned 15:32 by absolutely everybody for being a home wrecker? 15:36 I mean, what kind of a leader builds his personal cabinet 15:39 from uneducated laborers and hot tempered fishermen? 15:43 Jesus is nothing at all like the world we're used to. 15:47 So let's go back to the prodigal son 15:49 sitting in that pig pen. 15:51 When the money runs out and his friends disappear, 15:53 this is the thought that pops into his head. 15:56 "But when he came to himself, he said, 15:58 how many of my father's hired servants 16:01 have bread enough and to spare? 16:03 And I perish with hunger. 16:04 I will arise and go to my father and will say to him, 16:07 father, I have sinned against heaven and before you 16:10 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 16:14 Make me like one of your hired servants. 16:17 And he arose and came to his father. 16:19 But while he was still a great way off, 16:21 his father saw him and had compassion 16:23 and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him." 16:27 Now, remember this, 16:29 this is the kid who squandered his inheritance, 16:31 who abused his father's kindness and who put himself 16:34 ahead of everybody else. 16:36 And then foolishly threw his privileged life in the trash. 16:40 This is a spoiled rich kid who shared his father's name 16:43 and dragged it through countless bars and brothels, 16:47 doing untold damage to the family reputation. 16:50 He quite literally has nothing to offer his dad. 16:54 And yet he discovers his father waiting in the road, 16:56 hoping he'll come back. 16:59 So who is this man who walks among the rejects? 17:02 If you have seen me, Jesus said, you have seen the father. 17:06 I'll be right back after this. 17:12 - [Narrator] Here at the Voice of Prophecy, 17:13 we're committed to creating top quality programming 17:16 for the whole family 17:17 like our audio adventure series "Discovery Mountain". 17:21 "Discovery Mountain" is a Bible based program for kids 17:23 of all ages and backgrounds. 17:25 Your family will enjoy the faith building stories from this 17:29 small mountain summer camp and town. 17:31 With 24 seasonal episodes every year 17:34 and fresh content every week, 17:36 there's always a new adventure just on the horizon. 17:42 - You know, the real question we should probably 17:44 be asking ourselves about this story is what it says about 17:47 the way that you and I treat other people. 17:51 I know that Christians have developed 17:53 an unfortunate reputation for treating people badly. 17:57 And unfortunately, I think that to some extent, 17:59 Christians should probably own that. 18:01 I mean, we can be judgemental and we can develop 18:05 an us and them mentality 18:07 designed to reassure ourselves that well, 18:09 we aren't as bad as other people. 18:12 And because of that, 18:13 a lot of people have no idea what this book actually says 18:17 because Christians sometimes get in the way of that. 18:20 Not only do we have the example of Jesus, 18:23 but we also have a number of pointed statements 18:25 that remind us of how God expects us to value other people. 18:29 I mean, just listen to this statement 18:31 that comes from Paul's letter 18:32 to the Philippians starting in chapter two. 18:37 It says, "Therefore, if there is any consolation in Christ, 18:41 if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the spirit, 18:45 if any affection and mercy, 18:46 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, 18:51 being of one accord, of one mind. 18:54 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, 18:57 but in lowliness of mind 18:59 let each esteem others better than himself." 19:03 That's a good example. 19:04 How about this one over in the book of James. 19:06 This is such a profound reversal of the way we usually think 19:10 that I'm gonna read quite a bit of this passage. 19:12 Here's what it says. 19:15 "My brethren, 19:16 do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, 19:18 the Lord of glory, with partiality." 19:21 In other words, 19:22 you can't rightfully call yourself a Christian 19:24 if you treat people the same way the rest of the world does. 19:28 He continues, "For if there should come into your assembly 19:31 a man with gold rings and fine apparel 19:34 and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes 19:37 and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes 19:40 and say to him, 19:42 you sit here in a good place, and say to the poor man, 19:44 you stand there or sit here by my foot stool. 19:48 Have you not showed partiality among yourselves and become 19:52 judges with evil thoughts?" 19:54 Now notice that language is really pretty blunt. 19:57 The Bible considers valuing people who can do things for you 20:00 while devaluing the ones who can't, to be an act of evil. 20:05 That's strong language. 20:06 It continues. 20:07 "Listen, my beloved brethren. 20:10 Has God not chosen the poor of this world 20:12 to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, 20:14 which he promised to those who love him? 20:16 But you have dishonored the poor man. 20:19 Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? 20:22 Do they not blaspheme that noble name 20:24 by which you are called? 20:26 If you really fulfill the royal law 20:29 according to the scripture, 20:30 you shall love your neighbor as yourself, you do well. 20:34 But if you show partiality, 20:35 you commit sin and are convicted by the law 20:39 as transgressors." 20:41 So according to James, 20:42 this is not just a matter of courtesy or civility. 20:45 This is actually a matter of breaking the moral law of God. 20:49 And to be honest, 20:51 this is a pretty bitter pill to swallow for most people, 20:54 especially here in America. 20:58 I mean, don't get me wrong. 20:59 I'm a huge fan of the American dream, 21:01 where people are said to be equal before the law 21:03 and everybody has the same shot at prosperity. 21:08 I like the idea that we make room 21:10 for an individual's potential 21:12 and the idea that we want to remove barriers to success. 21:17 But at the same time, 21:18 we seem to make idols of people who actually make it, 21:21 placing them higher up than everybody else. 21:25 And you've gotta wonder, is that what God would want? 21:29 Listen, I've been working for the nonprofit world 21:32 for decades, 21:34 which means that I have to attend a lot of fundraisers. 21:37 And of course, when it comes to fundraising, 21:39 people naturally gravitate to the rich and famous 21:41 because, well, 21:43 it seems like those kinds of people could probably 21:45 make our lives a whole lot easier if they wanted to. 21:49 And years ago I was attending a fundraising dinner where 21:51 somebody suddenly grabbed me by the elbow and pointed 21:54 to this lady who was sitting at a table 21:56 on the other side of the room. 21:58 You see her, they whispered? 22:00 She has a lot of money. 22:02 You should probably go over there 22:03 and pay attention to that lady. 22:06 No, honestly, I kind of understand the sentiment. 22:09 I mean, we were raising money for a really important cause. 22:13 And personally, 22:15 I wanna believe this person that said that really meant well 22:18 and was only trying to find a way to help. 22:20 But there was something about that 22:22 that didn't sit right with me, 22:24 not when the Bible demands that we do not idolize the rich 22:27 and the powerful. 22:29 Now, again, it is a double edged sword, let's be real, 22:31 because at the same time, 22:33 we need to recognize that powerful people also need love. 22:37 And honestly, a lot of them seldom get the real thing 22:40 and they live under 22:42 the awful impression that people only love them 22:44 for their money. 22:46 I mean, you'll notice that Jesus also made time for the rich 22:49 and famous, like he did for Nicodemus. 22:52 But to treat people differently, the Bible calls that sin. 22:57 Okay, I do have to take one more quick break, 23:00 but when I come back, 23:01 I'm gonna show you a story that demonstrates 23:03 exactly how God thinks about us. 23:11 - [Narrator] Are you searching for answers 23:12 to life's toughest questions? 23:14 Like where is God when we suffer? 23:16 Can I find real happiness? 23:18 Or is there any hope for our chaotic world? 23:21 The "Discover Bible" guides 23:23 will help you find the answers you are looking for. 23:25 Visit us at biblestudies.com or give us a call 23:29 at 888-456-7933 for your free "Discover Bible" guides. 23:36 Study online on our secure website 23:39 or have the free guides mailed right to your home. 23:41 There is never a cost or obligation. 23:43 The "Discover Bible" guides are our free gift to you. 23:47 Find answers in guides like, 23:48 "Does My Life Really Matter To God?" 23:51 And "A Second Chance At Life". 23:53 You'll find answers to the things that matter most to you 23:55 in each of the 26 "Discover Bible" guides. 23:58 Visit biblestudies.com and begin your journey today 24:02 to discover answers to life's deepest questions. 24:10 - In the moments that we still have together 24:12 let me show you another story that really illustrates 24:15 what God expects us to do. 24:17 This one is found in the gospel according to Mark 24:20 and it's in chapter 12. 24:22 Here is what it says. 24:24 "Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people 24:28 put money into the treasury. 24:30 And many who were rich put in much. 24:33 Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, 24:36 which make a quadrans. 24:39 So he called his disciples to himself and said to them, 24:41 assuredly I say to you that this poor widow has put in more 24:45 than all those who have given to the treasury, 24:48 for they all put in out of their abundance, 24:51 but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, 24:55 her whole livelihood." 24:58 You and I tend to value the powerful because we think 25:01 they can somehow help us. 25:03 And to be honest, 25:04 there are lots of powerful people who do help the world 25:07 as much as they can. 25:09 I mean, the powerful and the rich are not all out there 25:12 evicting widows and tying people to the train tracks. 25:15 I never want to feed the unfortunate stereotype 25:18 of the self-absorbed wealthy because well, 25:22 it is a stereotype. 25:23 In reality, the rich and powerful are no more self-absorbed 25:27 than the rest of us. 25:28 We just pick on them because well, they're more visible. 25:31 And many of them, I can tell you firsthand, 25:34 are profoundly generous, I have experience with that. 25:38 But at the same time, 25:40 take a look at how Jesus viewed the subject of giving. 25:44 Lots of people were dropping by the temple 25:46 to make a donation. 25:48 And some of those donations were very impressive. 25:51 They impressed the disciples. 25:54 But then Jesus sees a widow who drops in two mites. 25:58 That's 1/64 of an average day's pay 26:01 or 15 minutes of work. 26:05 And that's what grabs the son of God's attention. 26:08 She gave me everything she had, he said. 26:11 And it warmed his heart because that was the image of God. 26:15 Most of us, at some point, 26:17 wake up and realize that we're sitting in the pig pen 26:20 of this world with the prodigal son. 26:23 And we're only allowed to be there because the owner 26:25 of the pig pen thinks we're barely useful enough 26:28 to feed some pigs. 26:30 We're utterly miserable the way we are. 26:32 But still in that condition, we're still being used. 26:36 So maybe it's possible that you've been looking for love 26:39 in all the wrong places. 26:41 Maybe it's possible 26:42 you've been asking the wrong people for an estimate 26:45 of your worth. 26:46 And maybe it's time to open this old book and discover that 26:50 things are worth what people are willing to pay for them. 26:53 And this book says, 26:55 the son of God was willing to pay for you with his life. 27:00 Maybe it's time for all of us to start looking at people 27:02 the way God sees them, whether they're rich or poor, 27:06 famous or infamous. 27:08 Maybe it's time to reexamine the words of the carpenter 27:11 of Nazareth, who said, this is my commandment, 27:15 that you love one another as I have loved you. 27:19 Maybe you haven't read this book in a long while. 27:22 Maybe you've been taking people's word 27:24 for what this book says. 27:26 So I'm gonna encourage you, no, I'm gonna challenge you 27:28 to pick this up and read the words of Jesus for yourself 27:31 and see if they don't ring true. 27:34 And I want you to discover for yourself that God values you 27:38 much differently than the way people do. 27:41 I'm Shawn Boonstra. 27:43 This has been "Authentic". 27:45 [energetic music] |
Revised 2022-09-21