And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. Luke 16:15
When you consider for a moment some of the people and things that are highly esteemed among men, it immediately becomes clear that the true worth of something cannot be determined by what people think. Millions or even billions of people may think that someone should be highly esteemed even if that person is an abomination to God. There are plenty of examples of such people being held in high regard that do not hold such a place in God’s esteem.
And, so it is with things as well. People set out to acquire things and many times dedicate their entire life to that end, sometimes even selling their soul for thirty pieces of silver, as it were. The deceitfulness of riches has destroyed countless lives through the years. It must look pretty silly to the Lord as He watches man scrambling to gather up every scrap of gold he can get his hands on and hoard it up as if it will somehow benefit him in the life to come; considering that the streets of the New Jerusalem are paved with pure gold!
Well then, if the Lord cannot be impressed with someone’s talent or strength or beauty or wealth, what does He hold in high esteem? Keeping in mind that His ways are not our ways and throughout the Bible we see Him choosing very unlikely subjects to carry out His plan, it might come as a bit of a surprise when you begin to realize what is really important to the Lord.
Once, when Jesus was coming near Jericho, there was a great crowd gathered just to see Him as usual. There was also a blind beggar on the side of the road crying out for Jesus to have mercy on him. Everyone told that blind man to be quiet because they held him in very low esteem — Jesus will certainly not want to bother with you. But, out of all that crowd of people, it was the blind beggar that Jesus called to come to him. And He healed him!
There are plenty of other examples; children who were brought to Jesus, a woman who was a sinner who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears, a woman drawing water from a well, the blind, the lame, the lost. All of the forgotten people who were easily overlooked or even purposefully ignored by the crowds and then singled out by the Master!
Finally, things that are highly esteemed by God are sometimes held in contempt by the world. As an example, God commands that children be brought up in the fear and admonition of the Lord, but what does the world think of that approach to bringing up children? Don’t hold your breath waiting to win the world’s Parent of the Year award.
Today, right now, you have the opportunity to put everything in your life before the Lord and ask Him to show you what is important and highly regarded by Him. Then, with God’s help, you can begin to reorganize your regard to get it in line with the Lord’s. To choose to disregard that which is an abomination and esteem highly that which the Lord esteems!
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