Valued

I've just started reading Matthew and already I like it much better than anything I read in the Old Testament. And yes, part of the reason is that the material is easier to read. And yes, the stories are familiar ones that I heard as a kid, but there's something else.

Not being one that's comfortable with talking about, or even dealing with, feelings...this realization took me by surprise but I think I like this book because of how it (Eeek!) makes me feel. This book actually makes one feel like they have value to someone or something else.

In Matthew 10:31 Jesus is giving his disciples instructions and one of the examples he gives is about sparrows that were apparently a bargain item back in the day at the price of 2 for a penny (or 2 for a Greek assarion - which is weird because American money and Greek money wouldn't seem to be the currency that comes to mind in the Middle East in Biblical times but what do I know?). Then Jesus says, "...you are worth more than many sparrows." And later in Matthew 12:12, after someone was testing him about healing someone on the Sabbath, Jesus tells a parable about rescuing a sheep that falls into a pit. He says, "How much more valuable is a man than a sheep!"

After 809 pages of reading about a vengeful, punishing and seemingly arbitrary God, it's a nice change of pace to see His "softer" side. But there is more to it for me. It's refreshing, maybe even comforting, to be told you have value. I'm sure there are people that think I have value. Intellectually, I know this. But a lot of times I don't necessarily feel it. People really don't say that kind of thing to each other much. It probably isn't too far-fetched to say that one of the reasons I'm so addicted to achieving is that is how I feel I have value - I can do this or I can do that so I'm worthy of taking up space.

As hard as one might try, you can't earn value from achievements. It's nice to be told once in a while that you don't have to.