Before I became a teacher I worked in the technology sector doing graphic communications, user interface design, and web application development. One of the companies I worked for offered stock options. The rationale for this benefit was to incentivize employees to work hard. As the company succeeded employees had the opportunity to gain financially from that success by purchasing ownership shares in the company if they chose to.
In this note I wanted to mention a much more important type of option. It’s available to everyone, because it’s not something you earn. It’s a gift. If fact, it’s the greatest option ever and it will completely change your life. But if you don’t exercise that option—if you don’t receive the gift, you don’t benefit fully from it. The gift is Jesus. Because you are invaluable to God he is giving you the option to receive Jesus or reject him. Receiving Jesus leads to abundant life with God. Rejecting him brings spiritual death and torment.
We Give Because God Gave
At Christmas this is what we celebrate—God’s gift of Jesus. During this season people typically gather with family and friends to celebrate. One way they celebrate is by giving gifts. But why? Some would say to appreciate each other. That’s true, but it goes deeper than that. This tradition goes back to God giving to us the greatest gift, his son, Jesus. Why did he do that? To save us from our sin and its deadly impact on our lives. But why would he sacrifice and suffer to do that for us? We certainly don’t deserve it. Here’s why. God has blessed us with Jesus because he loves us. He made us in his image and he wants to have a relationship with us. To him we have priceless worth. Amazingly, nothing and no one in all the universe is created in his image—only people.
Worth Dying For
Jesus makes it possible for you to be forgiven of your wrongdoing and to have fellowship with God. He loves you beyond measure. You are not a random byproduct of evolution. You are not an accident. You are not a mistake. You are more valuable than anything you might contribute to society. You are more than the sum of your experiences. Although you are broken and live in a fallen world, God sent Jesus to rescue you. You are that special. He wants what is best for you, which is to be with him, to be like him, and to do what he does. Jesus makes that possible. He became a man, died, and rose again on your behalf so that you can know God and experience the wonderful life he designed you for. You need God. Christian author, Jerry Bridges put it this way, “Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God’s grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God’s grace.” Respond by faith. Trust Jesus to save you and he will give you his abundant life now and forever.
Note: This tremendous truth that you are valuable does not diminish the awesome nature of God. He deserves all glory. We are nothing without him. With him we have everything.
Conclusion
You are priceless because almighty God, the greatest of all time, created you and desires for you to know him and to share in his love. He has done everything to make that possible. When you act on the option he is giving through Jesus, you experience new life. When you receive God by faith, his greatness becomes real and alive in you. He works through your faith to enable you to be with him and to transform you to become like him.
Note: I wrote a song about this which you might enjoy. It is titled, “Priceless.”