Posted April 2, 2009
Jesus Christ described the core of His message in Matthew 13:45-46 as a pearl of great price. But what He did for us as His final act of love is also priceless.
The cover of Time's April 6th edition proclaims: "The End of Excess: Why This Crisis Is Good for America."
Author Kurt Andersen boils it all down to a story: "You know the story of the ant and the grasshopper? The ant is disciplined, the grasshopper parties as if the good times will last forever—and then winter descends… It's time to ratchet back our wild and crazy grasshopper side and get in touch with our inner ant."
It's a wonderful thought, if only everyone would take it seriously!
What I saw at the zoo
Having visited the insect house at the Cincinnati Zoo last Sunday—and having recently watched the classic Pixar movie A Bug's Life— the above analogy was quite meaningful to me!
The leaf cutter ants we saw at the zoo were very animated! All were working hard, with no conspicuous consumption, except maybe the queen, but I didn't see her.
Now grasshoppers probably are getting a bad rap, but their human counterparts addicted to excessive and extravagant lifestyles are clearly not popular right now.
If we could, we'd all probably claw back the money drained from the economy by Wall Street shysters and the bonuses for AIG executives. And if The Real Housewives of New York City on Bravo stop having champagne birthday parties for their dogs, that's got to be a good thing also!
Flaunting luxury goods and bling seems so wasteful in the current economy. We can hope that our materialistic world of "greed is good" will truly be left behind.
What do we value?
According to a Newsweek article, on eBay we could buy:
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"Strands of hair, allegedly from the head of Saint Therese of Lisieux," with bids starting at $40.
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"What looks like a fragment of a bone supposedly from Saint Philomena, a 13-year-old Christian girl who, according to legend, was flogged, drowned and finally beheaded for her refusal to marry the Roman Emperor Diocletian. Bidding started at $49.99" (Lisa Miller, "4 Sale: Bones of the Saints," Feb. 11, 2008).
Then there was "the friendly atheist" who sold his soul on eBay! Hemant Mehta, as a 22-year-old university graduate, offered the highest bidder the "chance to send him to any church, synagogue, or temple" to listen with an open mind (Jeff Watson, "He Sold His Soul on eBay," The Erickson Tribune, August 2008).
Hemant Mehta chronicled his adventures in his book I Sold My Soul on eBay. Perhaps that title is a perfect metaphor for the crass materialism still programmed into modern minds.
Because, we use "priceless" as a marketing message in our world of cradle to grave materialism we are accustomed to everything having a price. Yet one credit card commercial still asserts that some things are priceless—which is true.
The most priceless gift
Jesus Christ described the core of His message in Matthew 13:45-46 as a pearl of great price. But what He did for us as His final act of love is also priceless.
This is the time of year when Christians commemorate Jesus Christ's crucifixion. Yet, even this most sacred sacrifice highlights the conflict between materialism and true spiritual values.
In the GospelThe good news of God's everlasting kingdom to be established on earth after Christ's return and how we may be a part of that kingdom. This message was central to the teaching of Jesus Christ and the apostles. The term is used about 100 times in the New Testament . accounts there was the traitor Judas Iscariot. He not only stole from the moneybag he carried for Christ, but he also betrayed his Master for just 30 pieces of silver.
But then there was Mary who anointed Jesus with precious ointment, perhaps worth a year's wages for a working person! Yet Jesus did not rebuke her, as the disciples (led by Judas) did. In fact Jesus praised her for valuing the spiritual above the material. (See "A Right Example Heard Around the World." )
Then there was Jesus Himself, who paid the ultimate price and gave the priceless gift of His own life—that we might live forever! For the One "through whom are all things, and through whom we live" (1 Corinthians 8:6) to be willing to die for our redemption, that truly is a pearl of inestimable value!
A night of remembrance
On Tuesday night, April 7, all members of the United Church of God will commemorate the New TestamentThe 27 authoritative books of the apostolic writings: the four Gospels of Christ, Acts (a history), 21 apostolic letters and the book of Revelation. Passover in memory of Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us according to the scriptural instructions.
To fully understand why this commemorative Passover service is so important to all faithful Christians, read online, download or request your own copy of our free and priceless book, Jesus Christ: The Real Story .
