I have a desk in my house that was a gift to me. It’s a lovely piece of furniture. Here’s a couple of pictures of it.
I’d like you to think about what its value might be. Now there are several things that enter into figuring out what it’s worth. One thing would be the raw material. This desk is made from cherry with fine hardware. You would also have to take into consideration the time and labor.
But another factor would be the craftsmanship involved. A desk made by me wouldn’t be nearly as valuable as one made by a skilled craftsman. So the person who made it affects the value.
Now this is where it gets a little tricky, because if all you’re considering is the skill of the craftsman, that’s one thing. But what if you know the person? What if you have a personal relationship with the one who made the thing? How does that affect the value to you? What if I told you that the person who made my desk was my dad?
Suddenly the value changes, doesn’t it? All of a sudden, the value of this desk, which may be worth a large amount of money to most folks, has increased exponentially to me. Now let me show you this little engraved plate inside the top drawer. It says, “Lloyd - Mk. 1:11b - Mom & Dad – 08-15-2004.” Do you know what Mk 1:11 says? It says: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Now…how much do you think this desk is worth to me?
I suggest to you that the service you offer to God, whether it’s teaching a class, leading a group, serving in the nursery or kid’s ministry, greeting at the door, playing in the band, preparing communion, working with teens, making coffee, running the sound and lights…whatever – maybe you think it’s just a job. A chore that needs to get done. But if you do it as an act of love and worship, the raw material of your time and talents, combined with your skill makes it a valuable love gift to God. The value is immeasurably more than the simple combination of raw materials because it’s a gift of love to God who can multiply it until it has eternal value.
The value is immeasurably more than the simple combination of raw materials because it’s a gift of love to God who can multiply it until it has eternal value.