A Value Follow Up - part 1.1

This will be a shorter post to follow up on my previous thoughts on value.

Tools are important. Monday through Friday I work in the trade business. I’m a painting contractor, a carpenter, handyman and jack of all trades and master of none. I understand that good tools are important to get the job done right and on time.

I’m not throwing stones, because I have lots of expensive tools that some might consider a luxury, unless you do this kind of work day in and day out to make a living.

But here’s my point. Several years ago a friend of mine who is on staff at a large church somewhere here in the middle of Iowa, shared with me some information about some new equipment the church had purchased. As I recall, it was some very fancy lights. That’s right, lights that were able to change color and do cool things and who knows what else (maybe they could make angel shadows or something). Regardless of how functional they may have been, my friend told me that they cost in the range of forty thousand dollars (yep… 40K).

I suppose they got a good deal, because they bought more than one, and my guess is that many people got saved and entered the Kingdom of God, because the perfect ambiance was achieved. And I suppose the church grew exponentially and many saints grew closer to God because of the power of those incredible lights, but 40K? Is that a good value?

Our entire church budget for the year is less than 40K, but then again I only pastor a church of 40 people. I wonder how much value those really hip lights added to the church and the Kingdom.

Value... Imagine what 40K could have done for a little church that just needs a jump start and some compassionate friends?

Value… Imagine what 40K could have done for a pastor that has little time to blog, let alone prepare sermons, visit shut-ins, make hospital calls, counsel hurting people and oh yeah… work 40 plus hours a week on top of it all? Day off? What’s that?

Value... Imagine if we all stumbled upon a universally accepted value? Not just something that people value in New York or the Netherlands, but something that was equally valued universally around the globe?

Our problem is just that: Nothing seems to be equally valued universally, therefore value appears relative. Therein lays the journey I’m on and the mission I’m charged to accomplish.

Value, Motive and Reason. More to come!