Lent Devotion

April 7

Priceless

Today is the first day of baseball season, and I read yesterday that the Yankees bought a pitcher named David McKay from the Rays. In this era of skyrocketing salaries, you might think it cost the Yanks millions, even for a young prospect. Nope. The Rays sold McKay to New York for a dollar. One lousy buck. That means that they can’t even take the proceeds from the sale and buy anything at the dollar store, since they upped their prices to $1.25. How’s that for a self-esteem booster?

And yet, baseball history is replete with trades that might make a guy feel even worse. In 1921, pitcher Joe Martina was traded for two barrels of oysters. Infielder Len Dondero was once traded for two dozen doughnuts before the league disallowed the trade. In 1930, shortstop Johnny Jones was traded for a 25lb. turkey. The Phillies thought so much of Mike Cisco that they just gave him to the Angels as a goodwill gesture. And John McDonald, Dickie Noles, and Harry Chiti were each traded for a “player to be named later,” only to be sent back to their former teams like an unwanted Christmas gift to Walmart on December 26. 

So many things can happen in life that make you question your value: People make hurtful comments; you get laid off from a job; you get dumped by someone you love; or maybe you just go through life feeling overlooked and unappreciated. This world can cause a person to feel worthless pretty easily.

But one of the things Lent and the Easter season provide is a reminder of just how much you ARE worth. You’re reminded that the Creator of the universe looked down at you and thought you were so valuable that He would give up His life for yours. He literally looked at you and said, “I’d rather die than spend eternity without you.” No matter what happens in this life; no matter what others may say about us or do to us, our true worth is demonstrated by the sacrifice that Jesus made for us on the cross—dying so we could live eternally in Heaven.

When the Son of God thinks you’re valuable enough to die for, there’s no greater proof that you’re not only valuable, you’re priceless.

As you pray today, thank God for valuing you so much, and ask for His help remembering that when the world would try to make you question your worth.