“She is worth her weight in gold.”
Easy Learning Idioms Dictionary: “emphasizing that someone is so useful, helpful, or valuable that you feel you could not manage without them.”
When having my peripheral vision measured, I scoot forward in the big black chair and stick my chin up to the machine. I try my best and concentrate all my eye efforts to see the red dot come into view. To get a better score during this ‘test’, my eyes want to move, to look for, even chase the little red dot, but that would be cheating. I’m not supposed to push the button unless I can truly see the red dot with my peripheral vision. When the test is over, I sigh again, and I sit back in the chair knowing I pretty much failed. Most people score well and pass this test with a peripheral range of 180 degrees. I have a range of 16 degrees - now you understand why I want to cheat!
Legally blind, visually impaired, sight-challenged or disabled, whatever I want to call it, there are some realities I have to face.
The reality is others can do more and produce more than I can. There are those who have skills and abilities I do not. Others are more competent, they score higher, achieve more and are more employable than me.
Worth.
Being rewarded for a good job, encouraged to work hard, promoted and celebrated for success is how it works. Blue ribbons and gold metals are given to the fastest, the smartest, and the best.
When we do more, produce more and finally succeed, does it make us worth more? And if we don’t do well, even fail, does it mean we are worth less?
Where does worth come from?
How is worth measured? Is there a worth scale?
Who measures worth?
I suppose it depends on who is doing the measuring.
When Jesus entered the world as the source of salvation, he knew from the beginning of time, we could never score high enough, work hard enough, or achieve enough successes to measure up to heaven’s requirements. No matter how much we try, our free will, our sinful nature, continued to miss the mark.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.” Matthew 13:45,46 (NLT)
Note to self: My worth/ your worth is not achieved but given. Because we are of great worth he found us. He came not to measure our worth but to prove our worth according to him. He came to rescue me not because I was worth less but because he, who is the ultimate one measuring worth, so loved and valued me (and you) that he did not want heaven without us. He wanted eternity with us.
I have to confess, often I care too much about what others think of me. It seems like everyone is measuring and comparing and I sometimes find myself chasing the little red dot to pass the test and be deemed helpful, useful, valuable, and worth my weight in gold. (Sigh)
But today I will quiet myself, scoot forward in the big black chair and put my chin in Jesus’ hands. As he looks into my eyes not to test me but to assure me, I will trust his measurement of me.
Lord, thank you for loving me. I sometimes don’t get it. I know in my head, that my worth is not in what I do or accomplish. I know in my head, that I can’t always trust my feelings. And I know in my head that my worth can’t always be measured by whether I get it right or if I fail. Help my feelings, my heart, to line up with your truth. In Jesus Name , Amen.
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