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
What is something worth? The value of any good or service is said to be whatever someone is willing to pay for it. If you have something to sell and you offer it at a certain price and someone is willing to pay that price for the item then, at least in the eyes of the buyer, it is worth that amount. To someone else it may be worth more or less, depending on many factors, but what really determines value is what someone will give for the item.
This holds true for things bought with money as well as things that cannot be bought in the traditional sense of the word; some things are traded or bartered rather than bought with money. For instance, Jesus asked, as recorded in both Matthew chapter sixteen and the eight chapter of Mark what would be worth trading your soul for. In fact, that is the only two times the Greek word translated exchange is used in the Bible. The sense of the word is that you are making what you feel is an even exchange.
But, how could the value system of someone be so out of proportion as to think that anything would be worth trading their eternal soul for? Only by believing the lies of the devil could someone fall into that age-old trap. The devil even tempted Jesus with this one. Remember, it is not a sin to be tempted; even Jesus was tempted in every way that we are — but He never sinned. It is only when we give into temptation that it becomes sin. The enemy can show you all of the kingdoms of this world and all of their glory and power and wealth. He will offer you all of that, if you are willing to trade him something he wants: your eternal soul. Is it an even exchange? Not at all, but there have been many who have taken him up on the offer just the same.
And what is the result of esteeming highly the things of this world, considering things that are detestable to the Lord to be worthy of the highest place in your life? What if you make it your goal to achieve these things and are willing to make a deal with the devil to have them? Well, in this life, you may have a measure of pleasure from those things but in the end, well, we all have to face the end of this life one day!
What are the most important things in your life? What do you esteem more highly than anything else? You probably automatically voice the correct responses; “my relationship with the Lord” and “my family” and “helping others come to know the Lord”, things like that. Now, maybe you want to take some time and ask the Lord to show you if your answers are reflected in your life.
“All that glitters is not gold.” Some things might seem, on the surface, to be worth whatever it takes to acquire them. But then, once you have made the deal, you find it wasn’t what you expected. Don’t trade something that is priceless and eternal for something that is useless in eternity. After all, God’s streets are paved with gold. To determine what something is worth, check with the Lord for a proper appraisal, see what face value He gives it!