value

i’ve been really wrestling with the concept of value lately. we live in a culture of sales and good deals and are obsessed with getting the best price possible. in our thirst for more and more, we stretch each precious dollar, not because we need to for survival, but because then we can buy more things with the money “saved.” is this good stewardship? what if we actually paid the true value of what things were worth (materials, labor, relational cost, etc.). would we be more likely to take care of what we have if we had less do to having to spend more to pay the true cost of our things?

since living in a disaster zone, i have become concerned about how this kind of attitude affects how i respond and care for people. in my desire to help as many people as possible get into their homes, the cost-benefit ratios always take the side of what is cheapest and fastest and easiest. but what does this say about value. how much am i really valuing homeowners if i make no effort to connect on other levels besides the construction aspect of things. are they simply relegated as a means to an end (keeping volunteers happy and busy)? how much am i valuing people if i do my best to see that they get a house built, yet do nothing to address the fact that they cannot afford to keep it up? or if we put the cheapest, easiest and quickest things into a home only to see our hastiness lead to congestive failure 10 years down the road.

christ came to this earth to pay the full price that each and every one of us are worth. it cost him everything; family, career, even his life. i want to learn to value people what they are worth; homeowners, volunteers, coworkers, housemates and friends. to not allow cost, speed or difficulty stand in the way of taking the time to do things well. all of that takes time, costs much and means that in the broad sense, i have less (quantitative, but more qualitative)...