Missing something?

REVELATION: When we miss something, we are willing to pay a price. But not just any price. Not even the price someone else tells us is right. Our actions are primarily determined by our internal value system. Some are willing to pay millions of dollars for a painting. Last time I heard, Van Gogh's Sunflowers were sold at an auction for almost $40 million. Most people in the world, even if they had the money, wouldn't spend them on the "Sunflowers". That's because most people are not into art. Their internal value system will never appreciate the "Sunflowers" the way some art lover or an expert would.

And so is in our walk with the Lord. To follow Jesus will cost us something. It will cost one thing to one and a completely different thing to another.

Jesus said to him, “If you want to be perfect, sell what you own. Give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then follow me!”

Matt. 19:21

In this fellow's case it was money. Lots of money. All of his money! Jesus has never asked this of me. Probably not from most of you. But once I talked to a man in Holland who gave his life to Jesus while in a business partnership which generated millions of dollars. With a smile on this face he explained how he knew he had to walk away from all this money in order for him to experience deep and true salvation. I was impressed and moved with a testimony like this. How many people do you know whom Jesus has asked to pay such price for following Him?

But this man was missing something. He was missing internal, non-material realities and the cost of not having these was much greater than the cost of loosing millions of dollars. His internal value system overrode the value system of materialism and he was happy with his decision for Christ.

OBSERVATION: The other day I took my daughter Jenny to physical therapy and had to wait for her at a nearby cafe. Someone had posted a missing cat report on the bulletin board of the cafe. The missing cat seems to be a Seal Point Siamese and has all her claws. Good for her. She'll need them out there. The owners obviously love this pet. I mean they had gone out, posted these sheets around the neighborhood and are even willing to pay $100 for GEORGIA (the name of the cat). I can imagine how much they are missing the cat. If they have kids, that's probably even harder. But suppose someone called them and said they found their cat and now they want $1,000 to bring it back to them. How about $10,000? If Sue and Tom had the money, will they pay that kind of cash to get Georgia back? No one knows. But what we know is this: When we miss something, we are willing to pay a price mostly determined by our internal value system.

IMPLICATION: It is our decision to "die" to our own carnal values and allow the Holy Spirit through the teaching of Jesus to shape and form our hearts to a place of appreciating what Heaven appreciates. Friendships are most undervalued by our carnal minds. So many people have the tendency to treat the people that are closest to them in the worst possible way . Men beat their wives and kids. Brothers beat on brothers or sisters. Friends stab friends in the back over ambition, power and money. It's a crazy world we're living in and anomalies have become the mainstream. But hey, Jesus never promised all this will ever get all the way fixed up. He only promised He'll be with us in our efforts to change what can and should be changed - the hearts and minds of those who sit in darkness. 

Are you missing something? If it's wisdom, are you digging for it like a gold miner would dig to find gold? If it's a friendship, are you reaching out as a friend would? If it's the peace and the presence of Jesus, are you pressing in to come to a place of peace and awareness of His affirmation of you, or are you settling for seeking the approval of people?

Whatever you think you're missing, what price are you willing to pay to restore what's missing in your life?