>So, its tax time. I'm sure you're aware, and I'm guessing you're stressed, I know I am. The threat of audit, however unlikely, has me checking my figures tens of times - I don't know what it is about the letters IRS that are so intimidating ... but they sure have me scared.
>To answer your question, no, this devotional is not about taxes.
>I've been working on our taxes a lot over the past few weeks, trying to legally eek out every cent possible in our return - and yes, we'll be getting a return this year, which brings with it a whole different sense of frustration, but I digress. Aside from the ever-present threat of audit, I've been thinking a lot about my value during this time. I don't know what it is about a W-2, but something about the numbers printed inside those boxes gives me a window into my personal value, or so I think.
>Our culture certainly values money over poverty. If we were to believe all the adds on TV, we would max out every available credit source to have the stuff that makes us look cool, ie. valuable. Why do we equate wealth with value? In part, I think the answer is simple ... valuable employees make more money than dispensable ones. Or, to put it differently, people with valuable skills make more money. But, can this be true?
>One of the aspects of Jesus' crucifixion that I don't spend much time thinking about is that in sending Jesus to die for me, God permanently and unrefutably told me something about my worth. Jesus was God's firstborn, His beloved son - but Jesus was a sacrifice, he volunteered his life so that we might find life. While I don't have a son just yet, I do have a firstborn, and I've not met anyone yet who is valuable enough to trade my daughter for ... I just can't comprehend this concept. But, to God, I was worth that trade.
>We all know what humanity is capable of; great and wonderful things - I can't help but think of the outpouring of charity towards the people of Haiti in this time of need - but also horrific things - genocide, holocaust, nuclear warfare, to name but a few. Its hard for me to think that this trade - Jesus for Me - makes any sense. I'm a wild card ... I have the potential to do great things for God's kindgom, but at the same time I have the potential to do deplorable things ... But it's this Me that God chose to sacrifice for, it's this ME that God decided, and declared to be valuable.
>I challenge you in this day to meditate on the fact that Jesus willingly sacrificed himself for YOU - the good and the bad that make you you. The question I hope we can all ask is what am I going to do about it?
>If you have a minute, and want to keep thinking along these lines please watch the following clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV_3fYq0Aag, and read the following scripture: Mark 15:21-41:
> 15:21 The soldiers forced a passerby to carry his cross, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus). 15:22 They brought Jesus to a place called Golgotha (which is translated, “Place of the Skull”). 15:23 They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. 15:24 Then they crucified him and divided his clothes, throwing dice for them, to decide what each would take. 15:25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him. 15:26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The king of the Jews.” 15:27 And they crucified two outlaws with him, one on his right and one on his left. 15:29 Those who passed by defamed him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who can destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, 15:30 save yourself and come down from the cross!” 15:31 In the same way even the chief priests – together with the experts in the law – were mocking