Equal Value

“The rich and poor meet together: the LORD [is] the maker of them all.” (Pr 22:2 AV)

Every human soul has equal worth with God.  Assigning worth to a person based on external criteria is a trait of fallen man.  To the LORD, the rich have no more worth than the poor.  To the LORD who has made us all, the value of a person in found in his existence, not in his condition.  We are all equally fallen.  We are all equally wicked.  An education or lack thereof does not impress God.  A net worth or humble poverty is not more valuable to the LORD.  The eternal soul, which we all possess, is what Christ died for.  He didn’t die for our pocketbooks.  He owns it all.  He didn’t die for our simplicity.  Whatever we do, or fail to do, in this life will not determine the value of our souls.  All will die, and all will appear before their Maker.  One cannot buy himself past the judge.  One cannot plead hardship to avoid examination.  We will all appear before the LORD Jesus Christ to give an account of a life graciously given.  God loves all equally.  God died for all, equally.  There is no distinction.  There is nothing to earn.  There is nothing to accomplish.

Carrying golf bags for the rich and famous comes with an allusion of inflated worth.  I have carried the bags of very wealthy and famous people.  It was interesting how those with wealth and influence treated their caddies.  Personalities and habits ran the gamut.  There were clients who treated their caddies as peons.  They treated them with less respect than they would a hired hand.  Then there were others who treated their caddies with great respect.  It was easy to be impressed with clients who owned companies, lived in palaces, and drove expensive cars.  Being silent, a caddy hears much impressive talk.  Millions of dollars could trade hands by the ninth hole.  Entire companies could be bought or sold.  Agreements between millionaires were shared over a putt.  How these people talked of things larger than life as if they were talking about a hamburger recipe was beyond impressive.  World changers who were normal people.  But the ones that were really impressive were the humble millionaires.  You wouldn’t know how much they were worth.  When someone told you, it knocked you off your feet.  People are people.  It doesn’t matter what their bank accounts say or not say.  Standing before the LORD, we will all stand the same way.

Solomon, the smartest and wealthiest man of his time, puts life into perspective.  What he accomplished, he did so for the LORD.  This didn’t earn him a place with God any more than the simple shepherd who tended only one sheep.  Solomon shows great wisdom here.  His point is simple.  There is one event that happens to us all.  We will all die.  We will all stand before our Maker.  What we have done or failed to do in life will not change that.  What we do with Christ will determine our eternal state.  Knowing this, envy should never be a temptation.  It doesn’t matter what we are when compared to others.  We are all a mess.  It doesn’t matter if we carry someone’s golf clubs and he tips us a mere pittance.  It doesn’t matter if God uses us for much or for little.  It doesn’t matter if we have ten talents or one.  It really doesn’t matter.  We will all stand before God.  We will all give account.  Not with what we have done, but rather, how faithful we were with what we were given.  No room for envy.  None!  God is good to all who call upon His name.  No matter what!