Daily Wisdom 12-19-2002 Worth More Than You Can Imagine

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Worth More Than You Can Imagine

It's hard to believe, but it's true. This man went into antique stores basically for one reason - he was interested in old baseball cards - which can be worth a lot of money sometimes.Well, in this one store he didn't see any on display, so he asked the owner if he had any baseball cards. The shopkeeper produced a cigar box with some very early baseball cards which dated back to the early 1900s. He said, "I don't put these out for everyone to see. I keep them in a drawer most of the time." Among those cards, the shopper found one of the most valuable baseball cards there is - one of those rare cards featuring Hall of Famer Honus Wagner. When the shopper inquired about the price, the owner said, "Well, I bought all of these from a woman for $20.00. But I know they're worth a lot more. I'll sell them to you for $200.00." Well, knowing the real value of just that one card alone, and desperately trying to keep a poker face, the shopper took him up on his offer. Later he sold that Honus Wagner card on the Internet - that one he got for $200.00 - for something like $200,000!

The woman who sold that card to the store owner didn't know what it was really worth. The store owner didn't realize its value either - and he let it go for what turned out to be very cheap.

Now, it's one thing to undervalue a baseball card and let it go for cheap. It's another thing for a person to undervalue himself or herself and let themselves go for cheap. Maybe it's a mistake you've been making. You don't understand how much you're worth - and you've been making hurtful choices because of it. It could well be that some people in your life have treated you like you're not worth much - and you've believed it. Maybe you've been told you're not worth much, or you've let your inadequacies and limitations and your failures convince you that you must not have much value.

What a mistake - and it leads to so many other mistakes. You end up trashing yourself or settling for less than God intended for you because you think it's all your deserve. But our Creator says, "We are God's workmanship." (Ephesians 2:10) You're a unique, handmade original, made by a God who only does masterpieces. All those people who treated you like you don't matter have no idea who you really are! No one on earth gave you your worth and no one on earth can take it away!

Knowing how much you're really worth comes from being close to the God who gave you your worth. But we've trashed ourselves by doing things our way instead of God's way: lying, hurting others, dirtying sex, living selfishly. Our sin has separated us from the One who made us. But then Jesus came and showed how much we matter to God. In 1 John 4: 9-10, our word for today from the Word of God, He says, "This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him ... He sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins."

God paid for the sin that you've done against Him with the life of His one and only Son. You will never be close to your Creator ... you'll never experience His love and your worth until you belong to the One who thought you were worth dying for. And that's a relationship you could begin this very day if you'll tell Jesus, "I'm Yours, Lord." If you want to belong to Him, then I want to send you my booklet "Yours For Life," that's all about beginning your relationship with Him. Just let me know you want it.

The life of the one and only Son of God was given for you. That's how much you're worth to Him. Surrender your life to the One who loves you the most, and experience for yourself what it's like to be loved by God!

Today's Daily Wisdom is written by Ron Hutchcraft, based on his popular radio broadcast,"A Word With You"."A WORD WITH YOU" daily devotionals are now available via e-mail. To subscribe send a blank email to:awordwithyou-subscribe@hutchcraft.com,or to request the "Yours for Life" booklet, fill out the form on this site:http://www.gospelcom.net/rhm/yours/yflorder.html. Ron Hutchcraft Ministries has been on-line with Gospelcom since February, 1996, providingpractical answers to real life issues. (c) 2000 Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Inc.PO Box 400, Harrison AR 72602